My Protector
by Mekon-chan
Summary: Naru is hated by the village, and tries to escape their mob by running into the forest. When she meets Lee, will her life change for the better? Follow her and Lee as they make new friends, overcome obstacles, and maybe fall in love? Try it! Lee/Femnaru
1. The Beginning

**A.N.: Here's the Prologue. Not much else to say ;)**

**Edited by: _J.O.L the 1_**

(())**~~

My Protector

Prologue – The Beginning

My small feet tripped over another rock, stubbing my toe for the fifth time tonight. Trees rushed past me in my haste to get away from the villagers. Why did they try to hurt me? I never did anything to them, did I? I tried my hardest to be good! Why didn't they like me?

I tried to run faster because the civilians were catching up. It was more difficult than it sounded because trees and rocks kept getting in my way. My head really hurt too. Was it because I was tired? It _was _getting late.

It didn't really matter right now; I just had to get to somewhere safe.

I slipped on a patch of moss that I didn't see in my haste. I dropped down quickly, my face connecting with the dirt harshly. I felt my foot twisting in an odd angle, and I had to cut off my cry of pain by biting my lip. I heard the villagers' loud cries and their angry shouts of 'Demon!' and 'Get the monster!'.

At that time, I pleaded inwardly that they wouldn't see me. By some wonderful stroke of fate, my pleads were answered. I heard the shouts heading in a different direction, away from where I was lying face down. I waited until I could no longer hear them, then lifted my face from the ground and sighed in relief.

Looking around, I couldn't recognize my surroundings. It all looked the same, trees in every direction. I was only five; I didn't have a sense of direction yet! I brushed a stray blond hair out of my eyes. How was I going to get home?

I moved myself into a sitting position, wincing when I bumped my ankle. Did I break it? It sure hurt enough! I casted my gaze around again to make sure the villagers weren't nearby still; I softly touched my already swelling ankle. With a grimace I quickly retracted my fingers when I felt the skin throb under my touch. I let out a resigned sigh. Would I be able to walk?

Carefully maneuvering my other leg so my foot was on the ground, I pushed up on my hands. I pin-wheeled my arms, trying to regain my balance on one foot. Once I was steady again, I took a deep breath and tested my injured foot hesitantly. As soon as I placed my foot on the ground, pain zinged up my leg. With a strangled cry, I fell back on my backside ungracefully.

"Owwww…" I whimpered softly, rubbing my sore rear.

I didn't have any chance of getting home _now_. I was lost, in the middle of the forest, with a sprained or broken ankle, unable to stand, let alone _walk_. It just wasn't a good day.

Spotting a tree not far away, I crawled towards it, careful not to bump my injury. My knees scraped across the ground uncomfortably as I crawled. Once I made it to the tree, I turned myself carefully so my back faced the deep brown bark. Leaning against it, I closed my eyes tiredly.

I wondered if Old Man Hokage will notice if I wasn't there in the morning. Would he search for me even if he knew?

So many unanswered questions swirled around in my head. My exhaustion soon took its toll as I drifted into unconsciousness.

(())**~~

A hand just barely larger than my own, not-so-gently, shook me awake. Opening my eyes, I blinked blearily at the black and green shape in front of me. My vision cleared and I saw the person who awoke me was a boy. He looked a little older than me. His large, round eyes observed me confusedly, while his long, braided, black hair swayed slightly in the breeze. The boy was wearing a green T-shirt with a pair of black shorts and had the bushiest pair of eyebrows I'd ever seen in my short life.

I jumped when I realized how close he was sitting and shrunk away slightly. He stared curiously at me for a moment longer before talking.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, tilting his head cutely. "Were you out here all night?"

Why did he want to know? Any adult would've glared or shuffled away by now, or the kids got dragged away by their parents.

Not keen on speaking, I just nodded mutely to his second question. Usually I got in trouble if I spoke to anyone besides Jiji. Besides, I didn't know this boy, or what he was there for.

"Why are you out here?" he asked again. "Shouldn't you be at home?"

My hand automatically moved to wrap around my ankle when he mentioned home. It was the one thing that prevented me from _going _home. He saw my movement and looked down at my foot. By now it was purple and heavily swollen. The boy gasped at the sight of it, and moved his own hand towards it. I flinched back, afraid he'd hurt it. He looked back up to me, sensing my fear, and retracted his hand slowly.

"Is that why you slept out here? It looks like it hurts." His eyes shone with sympathy.

I stayed silent, but grimaced in agreement. He shifted so he's sitting Indian style across from me. He observed me, taking in my muddied blonde hair, then the ripped orange dress. He then looked back down at my ugly purple and black ankle.

"You know, you don't have to be scared to talk to me. I won't hurt you." My blue eyes widened at his statement. I felt a bit reassured with his express permission. Gathering my courage, I took a deep breath.

"W-what's y-your n-name?" I ended up stuttering. He looked delighted with the question.

"My name is Rock Lee! What's your name?" he said enthusiastically.

"U-uh, it's Uzamaki N-Naru." I replied shyly. He grinned brightly, showing all his teeth. I couldn't help but to smile slightly back.

"Will you tell me why you're out here?" he asked, obviously encouraged by his small success.

"Um... The v-villagers chased me out here last night." I said. Sadness crept into my voice and my smile dropped. He frowned in return and his bushy eyebrows drew together.

"Well that's not very nice," he concluded at last. I let out a breath which I didn't know I held. I almost thought he was going to leave when I told him that I was being chased by the villagers.

"It's okay. Old Man Hokage says that they just don't understand," I smiled sadly.

He frowned more. "But, you got hurt! Just because they don't understand, that doesn't mean they can hurt you."

"There's nothing I can d-do about it though. The old man can't usually get people to protect me soon enough."

He looked deep in thought, trying to find a solution to this problem. He stayed in that position for a few minutes, thinking hard. I shifted, scratching my cheek uncomfortably. Then suddenly, he gave a happy shout, pumping a victorious fist in the air.

"I got it! I'll protect you! That way you won't get hurt!" he said happily.

I blinked, astonished at his kindness, "R-Really?"

"Yeah! It's perfect, don't you think?"

I looked at him for a moment, unsure if I could trust this kind boy I had just met. However, looking into his black eyes all I could see was sincerity. I grinned happily back at him.

"Thank you, Lee-san!" I exclaimed as I attacked him with a hug. He happily returned it, grinning.

After a moment, Lee noticed my ankle again.

"Oh! We need to get you back to town! It looks like it's broken," he said, standing up.

"Oh, um… The Hokage says to go to him when I get hurt, since the hospital people don't like me much."

"Ok! I'll go with you there!" he said, not deterred at all.

He extended a hand to help me up, which I took gratefully. Now upright, I tried to put my foot down. The result was the same as last night. It made me almost fall over if Lee wasn't there to keep me steady.

"It's okay Naru-chan; I'll carry you there if you can't walk!" he said cheerily.

Before I could respond, he lifted me up so I'm reclined in his arms, making me 'eep!' in surprise. He started walking, making sure he didn't jostle me too much.

"A-are you sure I'm not too heavy, Lee?" I asked timidly.

He looked down at me and grinned dazzlingly. "Of course not! I'm gonna be a ninja, and I'll be really strong so I have to start training now!"

"Really? I'm going to be a ninja too!" I exclaimed, glad we had something in common.

"Cool! We'll both be the best ninjas ever!"

"Yeah!"

I smiled brightly. Last night may have been hard, but today was the day I made my first friend. And now, I could tell things were going to be better.


	2. Starting the Academy!

**A.N.: Edited by: J.O.L the 1 :)**

My Protector

Chapter 1 – Starting the Academy!

(1 year later)

Lee said he was starting the Academy today. I asked the Old Man when I would be starting the Academy, but he said I couldn't start until I was 7. I pouted at the thought, swinging my legs back and forth from my perch on my windowsill. Lee said he'd let me walk with him to the Academy and would be by my apartment at 7:00. It was 7:10_already_! What if he decided not to come? But, he _had _always kept his promises, ever since we met in the forest…

Ever since we met and he made his 'promise of a lifetime' he later said, we'd barely been seen without each other. My friend would come to my house in the morning and we'd go off exploring or finding new 'special places'. He and I would find secret hideouts, or as we deemed them, 'Lee and Naru's hideaways'. We found new ones almost every day, but only a few of them were truly special.

But what would I do all day _now_? Lee said that he would be gone most of the day. And I have to wait a whole _year _until I could go too. Lee said he would come see me after school got out, since he didn't have parents that were expecting him home. That was one of the many things we had in common, we both were orphans. That and we both liked bright colors….

I looked at the clock again. 7:12. Where was he? He'll be late to the Academy if he didn't get here soon! I knew how excited he was to start his official training as a ninja; he talked about it a lot. He said that the only thing that he wasn't looking forward to was not seeing me as much as before.

I jumped off my perch, landing softly on the wooden floors of my apartment. Looking to the front door for a moment, I turned and padded lightly to my bathroom. I looked in the mirror to make sure everything was in place for when he did arrive.

My bright blond hair was longer than it was a year ago. It was separated into two pigtails, high atop my head. My clear blue eyes and whisker-like marks on my cheeks were the same as every day and also my intensely colored orange dress. On my feet were some standard ninja sandals that the Old Man got for me, saying that I could run faster in them if I had to.

A knock at my door startled me out of looking over my appearance. Doing a once over, I rushed to my door. I looked through the peep hole from atop a stool I had by the door just to make sure it was Lee. Hurriedly, I opened up the entry way when I see the familiar face of my only friend.

Lee hadn't changed much at all in the past year. He was still about two inches taller than me. Lee still was thin and wearing a green T-shirt. I grinned at him brightly, totally forgetting that he was late by fifteen minutes. He grinned toothily back, and I noticed that he was out of breath and looked as though he ran a few blocks. He took a deep breath, breathing properly again, and said hurriedly.

"Sorry Naru-chan, I couldn't find any clean clothes and then I got lost even though I come here every day, and then I found a baby turtle looking lost like I was, so I _had _to help it find its family but that took a really long time and then…" He continued to ramble on, and I couldn't help but marvel at the speed he could talk at. He kept talking for a good minute before he finally was done. "…and that's why I'm late."

I smiled at his antics. Lee was so out-going and always full of energy. You couldn't help but smile around him.

"Okay, okay, I forgive you. Let's go before you're late to the Academy." I said, half laughing, as I walked past him, locking my door swiftly on my way out.

He grinned back, and followed after me, quickly catching up. He walked beside me, jabbering on and on about something. I learned early on that he loved to talk and jump around and that he was always busy doing _something_. I'd hate to see what he would be like with sugar in his system. I shuddered at the thought.

We continued our trek to the Academy grounds. I was aware of the glares pointed at me, but it didn't really bother me when I was with Lee. He was like a shield, protecting me from their hate.

As we neared the Academy, I felt dread growing in my stomach. What was I going to do all day without Lee? I was so accustomed to him being there, I just didn't know what I was going to do with myself. We were soon up to the Academy gates, and I just stood there with Lee, staring at the other kids who were getting dropped off by their families.

Lee turned to me, looking sad and subdued for a change. He looked worried about leaving me alone during the day; having never done so before since he met me. I smiled softly, trying to ease his fears. He smiled back hesitantly, and then leaned over to hug me. I returned the hug, then released when he stepped away.

"I'll come over to your house when we get out, okay? Then we can have a sleepover!" He said, trying to cheer me.

I perked up when he mentioned a sleepover. "Yeah! And you can tell me all about the Academy and the people there and your instructors!" I exclaimed.

He grinned; glad he got me out of my gloomy mood. He gave me one last hug before he was called inside with the other kids. He waved back at me before he disappeared into the building. I turned and walked back the way I came. All my worries from earlier were forgotten. I hummed as I walked down the street to my house, ignoring the hateful looks sent at me.

I guess I could wait a year to go to the Academy if I _had _to.

(1 year later)

I jumped up and down on the spot, my blond pig tails bouncing with me. Today was the day! I got to go the Academy with Lee today! Sure, I already knew what it would be like from what Lee's in-depth stories, but I actually got to _be there _today! I didn't have to wait until after school anymore to see Lee either! Well, he said we would be in different classes, but I got to see him at lunch and at any combined classes I may have with his class. I couldn't wait!

The usual knock at my door came at the usual time of 7:15, since Lee always ended up running into _something _that would make him late_. _I rushed to open it at lightning speed, grinning from ear to ear. He was grinning too, almost as excited as I was. I promptly tackled him to the ground in a hug. My enthusiasm bubbled over at the sight of him. He laughed, and hugged me back.

After we stood up again, I started jumping up and down again. "You look excited," he said. Amusement shone in his round eyes.

"Yes! I finally get to go to the Academy! And I get to start my training to be the best ninja ever! And I get to spend more time with you! And..." I jabbered on about the Academy and what I was going to do and everything else. He laughed again, cutting my rant short. He grinned at me.

"Well, we should get going if we want to get there on time." He pointed out, smiling happily.

I looked at my watch, checking the time. I 'eep!'ed girlishly when I noticed how behind we were. I grabbed his hand in my own and dragged him towards the Academy. He lengthened his strides so he was walking next to me, and joined in my excited conversation. We soon reached the chain fence, and then the medium sized building, but had to part ways because we didn't have time for proper goodbyes, as our classes would be staring soon.

"See you at lunch, Naru-chan!" Lee yelled as he walked to his class, leaving me to go into my own class.

As I entered the room, I saw a lot of unfamiliar faces turn towards me. Most of them got uninterested quickly and turned away to resume talking. Others just watched me as I took a seat in the back of the room before they went back to what they were doing.

I lay my chin on my arms, observing all of the other students. I felt uncomfortable and suddenly shy, deciding now not to say anything to anyone unless they said something to me first.

After a minute of sitting there, a man with a scar across his nose and brown hair pulled up into a high pony-tail came into the room. Another man came in behind him with grey medium length hair, a bit taller than the first man. The first guy turned to the still chattering class and smiled.

"Settle down everyone!" He yelled, gaining their attention instantly.

Once he was sure he had their interest, he said, "Hello, everyone, my name is Iruka and this is Mizuki. We're going to be your teachers for all of your time at the Academy," He looked around at the faces of the excited 7-year-olds, "Now, were going to start with roll call, so when you hear your name, just say 'present', okay?"

He started listing off names I didn't recognize, getting a 'present!' in reply for each one. Once the whole class, including myself, was accounted for, Iruka started a lecture about the duties of a ninja and all that, but I just blocked it out, considering Lee told me all this already.

(())**~~

Finally! I thought Iruka-sensei would never stop talking! I was so hungry that I could eat a whale! (But my bento would suffice) I was eager to tell Lee about my new senseis and what I thought of the other kids. I quickly grabbed my lunch from my book bag under my chair and rushed outside with my classmates. All of us were ready to enjoy the cool autumn air and fill our empty bellies.

I looked around for Lee, but not seeing him anywhere. I started to search for a good spot to sit down and wait for him instead. Spotting a large tree near the edge of the Academy grounds, I headed in that direction. Sitting down at the base of the tree, I opened up my home-made bento box, snapped my chopsticks and dug in hungrily.

A few moments later, someone covered my eyes with their hands, making me jump in surprise.

"Guess who!" said a familiar voice.

I put a hand to my chin in mock thought. "Hmm…. Is it Lee-kun?"

"Yes!" the 8-year-old yelled excitedly, removing his hands from my field of vision. I turned to see his grinning face, his large eyes alight with happiness. I grinned at him as he sat down next to me, opening his bento box too.

I launched into a tirade about my classmates and my senseis, describing everything to the last detail. He listened raptly, taking in my enthusiasm. He nodded every once in a while, showing me he was listening. I continued on for a while before I asked him about his day so far, to which he responded with the same amount of excitement as me.

We talked all through lunch, sharing with each other everything and anything about our day. By the time lunch was over we were both out of breath from talking so fast, but smiled gleefully all the same. We walked to the doors together and exchanged quick hugs.

Before he walked away to his class, Lee said, "I'll meet you at the gate after class and we can go do something together, okay?"

I nodded, smiling at him. I waved goodbye to him as he walked away, then turned away to go to my classroom.

I grinned to myself; the Academy was turning out better than I expected!


	3. Gai sensei

**A.N.: Thank you all from your reviews so early on! Let me know if you have any suggestions!**

**BTW: Naru is nine in this chapter**

**Edited by: J.O.L the 1**

My Protector

Chapter 2 – Gai-sensei

(2 years later)

Poke.

Poke. Poke.

Poke. Poke. Poke.

I groaned, rolling over to escape the poking hand.

I heard a chuckle. "Come on Naru, you gotta get up!"

I groaned again, muffled by my pillow. "I don't want to."

He chuckled again. "Come on Naru, we're gonna be late."

Yeah, this had been our morning routine for the last year and a half. Sure, the Academy was exciting at first. But, getting up early was never one of my strong points. So, I always ended up sleeping until Lee got here, then he would try to get me up, it wouldn't work, then….

"Don't make me get the bucket of water!" He threatened, half kidding, half serious.

I sat up straight at that with my messy blonde hair flying around me. You learned not to mess with Lee when he mentioned the dreaded bucket of water. I learned that the hard way. Not the best way to wake up.

"I'm up! I'm up!" I yelled frantically. I looked at the clock on my wall, and jumped out of bed when I noticed how late it was. I rushed around anxiously, collecting articles of clothing in the process. I ran into the bathroom to change, only to re-open the door to grab a sock I dropped.

"Lee! Can you make me some ramen, please?" I yelled through the door.

"Yeah!" He yelled in reply, probably already heating up the water.

I pulled my hair up into pig-tails hurriedly, making them as neat as possible in the limited time I had. I pulled on my orange dress and ninja sandals and rushed out of the bathroom. I grabbed my book bag and ran to the door, meeting Lee there. As we exited my house, Lee handed me the instant ramen he made. His newly cut hair flipped out at the ends. I slurped it down as we rushed to the Academy, just finishing it by the time we got there.

"See you at lunch, Lee!" I yelled over my shoulder, running at top speed to my classroom.

"See you then Naru!" he yelled in return, waving as he ran backwards before he tripped over the garbage can, then scrambled back up.

I burst through my classroom doors _just _before the bell rang. I collapsed to my knees, crying "SAFE!" dramatically. There were some chuckles throughout the class at the daily occurrence. I had lost my shyness after some of the other kids decided to talk with me. We became friends almost instantly, though we didn't really talk to each other outside of class.

"Naru!" yelled Iruka-sensei, annoyed, "Will you please be seated, so we can get started?"

I scratched the back of my head sheepishly. "Sorry Iruka-sensei."

I made my way to my seat in the back of the classroom. It was next to one of my friends - a shaggy brown haired boy with red triangles on his cheeks. He grinned at me from his chair as I sat down. On my other side sat my other friend at the Academy, a black haired shy girl from the Hyuuga clan.

"Mornin', Kiba, Hinata." I greeted.

"Good morning," Hinata replied timidly in a polite sort of voice.

"Morning!" exclaimed Kiba, still grinning.

I turned my attention to the front of the class, only to find out that I already knew what Mizuki was talking about. Lee usually taught me most of the things he learned, so I was more advanced than the class. Not by much, but still.

I put my head down on my arms, watching the two teachers talk, but blocked them out. The class passed in a daze, and sooner than I expected, we were dismissed for lunch.

I jumped up in a burst of energy, fully awake. I waved to Hinata and Kiba, getting waves in return, and then rushed out the door with my bento. I sat in my usual spot by the tree, and waited for Lee, chowing down on my food all the while. He showed up a minute later, but instead of his usual smile, a frown marred his features.

"What is it Lee?" I asked, knowing immediately something was bothering him.

He sat next to me and crossed his legs so he was sitting Indian style. His bushy eyebrows were scrunched up, like he was trying to solve a hard problem.

"In class today, they were talking about how most Academy students graduate when they're 12, but… how are we going to be on the same team if you're a year younger than me?" He said, looking at me with anxious eyes.

My eyebrows scrunched up like his. How _were _we going to get on the same team? We both want to be together when we graduate, but I'm younger than Lee is. I put a hand to my chin, deep in thought.

We both sat there, deep in thought and silent for a change.

"What are you two thinking so hard about?" asked a voice from behind me.

We both jumped, startled by the sudden question. I turned around to see my favorite Academy teacher, Iruka-sensei.

"Oh, hi, Iruka-sensei!" I yelled cheerily.

He smiled, "Hi Naru. Hello Lee." He said, nodding towards Lee.

Lee grinned at him, "Hello!"

Iruka smiled again, "So, what were you guys thinking so hard about? You two were so quiet; I was wondering what was wrong."

Well, that was true. We were usually the loudest people at lunch, and we were often told to quiet down.

I smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of my head. "Oh, that. Um, we were trying to figure out how to be on the same team when we graduate." I explained.

Iruka blinked a few times, then looked thoughtful. He could tell how close Lee and I were and understood why we would want to be on the same team. Then, I got an idea, and decided to ask about it.

"Neh, Iruka-sensei," I asked, regaining his attention, "can Academy students graduate _before _12?"

He blinked at me, then smiled, realizing my plan instantly. "Yes, as long as you get a good enough score on the Genin exam we do every year." He replied.

"Great! That'll work then!" I exclaim excitedly.

Lee looked between us, blinking confusedly. "What? What'll work?"

Iruka-sensei smiled, "I'll leave you to explain." He said, walking away.

I turned to Lee after he left, grinning eagerly. "I've got it, Lee! I'll try to graduate when you turn twelve, so we'll both be Genin at the same time, and when they chose teams they'll _have _to put us together because we already work well together. I'll just have to train _reeeeeeeeeeally _hard."

He blinked, processing my plan. Then he looked uncertain, tilting his head to the side.

"Are you sure you want to do that? It'll be a lot of work." He asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course I do! I'm already a little ahead of my class since you've been teaching me things you've learned, so I just have to work a little harder."

He grinned brightly. "Okay! Let's do it! I'll help you train, so you'll know everything I know, and you'll be at my class' level."

We both jumped up, pleased with our plan. The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. We both headed to the door, grinning from ear to ear. I plopped into my seat, ready to start training as soon as possible.

(Later that day)

I sat in the middle of the field, watching my green clad friend. We had decided to ask the Hokage to let us use training ground nine, which he let us, smiling at our eagerness to train. Lee let me borrow some of his black pants and a shirt, since all I had were dresses and they weren't very appropriate for training.

"Hmm… what should we do first?" Lee said, talking to himself.

"I know! Let's start by running around the village 3 times to warm up!" He yelled, jumping up and down in place.

I jumped up, shouting excitedly, "Okay! Let's gooooooo!"

We took off running, seeing a path nearby. Lee stuck to my pace, though I knew he could run faster. Lee was a really fast runner, and was very proud of that fact. He said that his speed made up for the fact that he couldn't use Justus. I learned last year that Lee's chakra coils didn't work right, so he couldn't use chakra very well. He didn't look too bothered by it when he told me, but I know him well enough to know that it _does _bother him somewhat.

We soon finished our laps and returned to training ground nine. Lee then set us to do 50 pushups and 50 sit-ups. We were soon done with those as well, and Lee was trying to think of what to do next.

I stood waiting for my next 'assignment' while Lee thought. A twig snapped alerting me to someone's approach. Snapping my head in that direction, I saw a dark figure coming towards us.

"EEEK!" I yelled, running behind Lee.

Lee snapped out of his thoughts at my yell. He looked confusedly over his shoulder at me. I gripped his shoulders in a death hold while I buried my head in his back, terrified .

"What is it, Naru?" He asked.

"There's a scary man over there." I said, my voice muffled by his back.

His head jerked forward again at my reply. Seeing the shadowy figure moving towards us, Lee settled into a defensive position, nudging me gently. I was completely shaded from view besides my legs.

"Hey, kid, what are you doing out here?" the guy asked. I don't think he noticed me yet.

"What are _you _doing out here?" Lee replied defensively.

The man paused in his approach for a moment, then chuckled. "That is a good question. I like to train at this training ground."

The guy finally stepped out into the light, so we could see his features. He was tall, and had black hair like Lee, but his was styled in a bowl cut. What caught Lee's interest though, was that he was wearing a _green _spandex jumpsuit. Now that we could see him clearly, he wasn't very scary at all. But Lee and I both knew that appearances can be deceiving, so Lee didn't relax his stance.

"Now, kid, why are you out here?" asked the guy.

I could tell Lee was debating telling him why we were here. We couldn't see a headband on the spandex wearing guy anywhere, so we didn't know whether he was a friend or foe.

Seeming to sense Lee's thoughts, the guy said, "Oh! I see, you don't know who I am at all, do you? Here," He started to unzip his vest, revealing a Leaf headband tied around his waist, "There, see? I'm a Leaf ninja, so you have nothing to fear."

Lee relaxed some, deciding to answer the question. "We were training."

"YOU YOUTHFUL CHILD! TRAINING AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE! YOU…" the man started shouting all of a sudden, then stopped and raised an eyebrow in confusion. "We?" he asked.

Looking over Lee, he spotted my legs from behind Lee's since I still hadn't stepped from behind him. "Oh, who's your friend there?" he asked.

Lee looked over his shoulder at me again. He smiled encouragingly, "It's ok, he's a Leaf ninja, so he won't hurt us. Besides, I wouldn't let anything happen to you anyway."

I stepped hesitantly out from behind Lee and moved to stand beside him. I smiled shyly at the green clad nin, getting a dazzling grin in return.

"Hello! I am Maito Gai! What are your names?" 'Gai' asked us.

Lee brightened considerably at the question. "I am Rock Lee! And this is Uzamaki Naru!" he declared, gesturing to me. I gave a wave to Gai when Lee said my name, feeling a bit less shy since Lee thought this guy was okay.

"Well my youthful children, you said you were training, right?" Gai asked.

I answered this time, "Yeah. I have to train really hard because I want to graduate to become a Genin early and Lee is going to help me!"

Lee grinned and nodded happily in confirmation. Gai looked like he was thinking over something, then asked, "Why do you want to graduate early?"

I answered immediately, "Lee's a year older than me, but we want to be on the same team when we graduate, so I have to graduate when he does!"

Gai grinned at my answer. "Okay! How about I make you a deal? I'll train you two, but you guys both have to promise to work your hardest." He proposed.

Lee and I looked at each other for a moment before splitting into identical grins.

"You've got yourself a deal, Gai-sensei!"

**A.N.: I love this chapter! I just adore cute little moments like the one in this chapter! And now Gai is here! Let the training begin! And remember to review!**


	4. Kyuubi

**A.N.: Okay, so here's another chapter. I would like to thank all of my reviewers for reviewing! It makes me smile when I read them, and I know that sounds cheesy. Jeez! I can be cheesy if I want!**

My Protector

Chapter 3 – Kyuubi

Another villager punched me in the cheek. This had been going on for the last half hour. Or had it been a full hour? I was walking down the street alone- my first mistake- on my birthday- my second mistake- and was ambushed by a mob of villagers. I didn't understand. I never did anything to them, yet they still wanted to harm me.

I knew it was dangerous to walk in the village alone at night, and even more so on my birthday. Of course, I knew what day shared my birthday. I was eleven now after all. It was the anniversary of the Kyuubi attack, so I understood that the villagers were mourning the loss of loved ones, but why did they always take it out on me?

I felt myself being kicked in the side, pain lashing up my ribcage. I grunted, gritting my teeth. Other girls would've cried and screamed, but I was stronger than them. No tears escaped my eyes, and no silent sobs racked my body. I learned early on that crying and calling out didn't help, because it was rare that anyone came to my rescue. Crying didn't make the villagers stop hitting me, nor did it make them stop sending me hateful glares.

I never told Lee about these... beatings, usually healed by the time I saw him the next morning. He didn't need any extra worry, since I knew that he already worried for me enough when we walked through the village. And I couldn't always depend on Lee to save me.

So I took it.

Now, don't think I just stood there. No, I didn't fight back, since it would be wrong to hurt a villager in my set of morals, but I tried my darnedest to run away. It was useless though, as I was never a fast runner, though I was a bit faster now since my training with Gai helped my speed. He _was _the taijutsu master of Konoha. Even so, my legs were too short to outrun up to eight fully grown men, especially when they cornered me.

"Not going to make a sound, are you?" A gruff voice interrupted my thoughts. "Well, we'll see about that, won't we, Kyuubi brat!" He smirked cruelly at my shocked face.

"K-Kyuubi?" I stuttered.

"Oh, you don't know, do you?" He laughed, obviously drunk, "Well, I'll tell you. The Kyuubi wasn't defeated, it turned into you! _You _killed the Fourth Hokage, along with all those oth-" He was cut off by a kunai whizzing through the air straight at him. It only cut a slice into his cheek, but it alerted him to someone else's presence.

"Though I wish you had not said that, I now have a valid reason to beat you up, as per the law involving that S-class secret," growled an angry voice from the mouth of the alley.

Two green blurs flew towards the terrified, cowering men. I, however, was unmoving in my spot, my vision going blurry. I… was the Kyuubi? My face drained of its color. My heart pumped loudly. I-I killed people? I stared at my hands blankly and I faintly heard talking from my cotton-stuffed ears. Then footsteps headed towards me.

"…aru… Naru… a… ou... al...igh…" I could hear someone's voice through my daze, but it sounded like a badly tuned radio. I couldn't make out sentences.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, gently shaking me. I couldn't focus my thoughts.

_Demon…_

"..aru..."

_Monster…_

"… Naru!"

… _Killed people…_

"Naru! Snap out of it!" wait… that voice sounded familiar…

'_Kyuubi brat!'_

"Naru!" that's another familiar voice. Old Man?

_Fourth… Hokage_

"Naru, please…" I felt warm arms wrap around me, hugging me into a chest. I inhaled slowly, catching the scent of pine and sweat. Wait, I know that smell… Lee? Is that Lee?

I blinked rapidly, clearing out my clouded vision. My hands dropped from where I was staring at them. Turning my head to the side slowly, I saw Lee hugging me from the side, his face buried in the crook of my neck. He looked up when he felt me turn my head, staring at me with large, watery eyes.

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I could feel despair rising in me when I looked at him. If he found out what I was, he wouldn't like me anymore. I didn't want to be alone again. Not again…

I felt tears coming to my eyes before I could stop them.

"Lee…" I whispered hoarsely, tears clogging up my throat.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I stared into Lee's concerned eyes. Before I knew what happened, Lee drew me into an embrace. I fisted his shirt, sobbing into his chest. For the first time in six years, I was crying.

"Shhh… It's ok…" He soothed, rubbing my back in comforting circles. "Shhh… Everything will be okay…"

I had no real concept of time, but I knew Lee was there the whole time, giving the comfort of his presence. I was letting out all my negative emotions I had bottled up. It felt like a poison was being extracted from my system. My tears dried up eventually, having cried for so long. Exhaustion swept over me, causing my eyelids to flutter closed. My breathing evened out, and I slumped forward more onto Lee's chest, letting blissful unconsciousness take me in.

(())**~~

I blinked my eyes open, staring confusedly at the white ceiling above me. Oh… I knew this stark while ceiling and the smell of antiseptic; I was in the hospital. I felt a weight on my shoulder, and, looking down, saw Lee hugging my waist snugly, his head resting on my shoulder fast asleep. I smiled softly at the sight.

"He hasn't left your side since you fell asleep," said a familiar voice, startling me.

I turned my attention to the source of the sound, confirming it as the Hokage when I spotted him sitting in the corner. He looked at me solemnly, examining me with his wise old eyes as the morning sunshine filtered slowly into the room.

"He was very worried for you," he added, watching me carefully.

I smiled slightly, but couldn't keep the sadness out of it. He wouldn't be worried any longer, though. Not when he found out…

The aged Hokage must've seen my eyes dull, as he suddenly asked, "Naru, what exactly did that man tell you?"

I shifted slightly, but stopped when Lee tightened his hold on my waist. "He…" I cleared my throat, "He told me that I am the Kyuubi."

The Sandaime suddenly looked much older than he was, letting out a tired sigh. "Naru… The villagers don't understand… They think you are the demon, but the truth is, you just _hold _the demon." He said, looking at me sorrowfully.

I blinked a few times, shocked at what he said. "I hold it?" I asked. He nodded in reply. I was silent for a few moments, thinking it over. "E-explain, please." I finally said.

The Hokage smiled, pleased I was at least a little understanding so far. "Well, in the Academy, you were told that the Kyuubi was defeated by the Yondaime, correct?" I nodded in reply, "I made a law stating they had to say that, though it is not the truth. The Yondaime sealed it inside a baby that was born that very day, you. So, you are the container, or jinchuuriki, of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. But, to be clear, that does not make you in _any _way the Kyuubi."

I thought over what he told me, absently pushing a lock of golden hair out of my eyes. So… I wasn't the Kyuubi. Just the container. I sighed in relief, smiling at the Hokage. He smiled back, relived.

Then I frowned, "What am I going to tell Lee?" I mumbled, mostly to myself.

"Oh, Lee has already been told of your tenant – seeing as we couldn't get him to be quiet until we told him…" He mumbled the last part to himself, but I caught it, "I assure you, he is perfectly okay with it."

The old Hokage stood up then, heading for the door. "Well, I'll leave you to rest,"

"Oh, wait." I said suddenly, halting his step toward the door. "How long have I been asleep?"

The Sandaime chuckled, "About two days."

My eyes widened in alarm. Two days? "And Lee's been here the whole time?"

The elderly man chuckled again, "I told you, he wouldn't go home until you woke up, I had to ask the nurses myself to let him stay during the night."

He left the room after that, still chuckling at my gob smacked expression.

I looked back down at Lee, who was still snoring softly on my shoulder, though the morning light on his face was making his nose scrunch up in annoyance. I had to hold back a laugh at the sleepily irritated look on his face.

"Lee…" I whispered, shaking him a little, only to get a groan in response.

I giggled. "C'mon Lee… its morning, time to get up…"

His round eyes opened blearily, blinking at me incomprehensively.

I grinned brightly, "Good morning sleepy head!"

He blinked a few more times as the words sunk through to his still asleep brain. He sat bolt upright suddenly, pulling me with him, wide awake.

"Naru! You… You're awake!" He exclaimed, watching my grinning face.

"Yeah, I woke up this morning, but you were still asleep," I said.

He waved me off, launching straight into his questions, "Are you okay? How are you feeling? Are you still hurt?"

I laughed, "Slow down, slow down. Yes, I'm okay, I feel fine and no, I'm not hurt anymore."

He looked at me suspiciously. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked carefully.

My grin slowly melted off my face. It was funny how easy he could see through me. I knew what he was asking. It wasn't '_How are you' _in a physical sense so much as it was '_How are you handling it?'. _I sighed, thinking about how the question carefully, examining my own feelings.

I looked back up at him, "I… I'm okay for the most part. The Old Man talked to me this morning when you were still sleeping, so I feel much better about it than I did four nights ago. I mean… I'm still very… uneasy about it, but at least I know _why _the villagers act as they do now."

Lee surveyed me for a few more seconds, gauging my sincerity. Apparently liking what he saw, he smiled, "It is okay to be worried about it; I would be too if I found out something like that."

I smiled hesitantly back, daring to ask the question on my mind, "Are you sure you're okay with it?"

He looked shocked for a moment, but a look of understanding washed over his features, softening them. "Of course, Naru." He said, "You're still my best-est-est friend in the whole wide world!" He proclaimed, grinning broadly.

I grinned too, letting out the breath I didn't know I was holding. Lee tackled me in a bear hug, squeezing me tightly. I laughed, just feeling inexplicably happy. Lee joined in with my laugh, releasing me.

After we finished our 'laughing-for-no-reason' moment, my throat felt scratchy from all the talking and laughing. I quickly looked around the room for some water. Lee noticed me looking, "What is it, Naru?"

I turned back to him, "Oh! I was just looking for some water since my throat is kinda sore."

He jumped off the bed immediately and landed on the floor unsteadily. "I'll get it! I'll get it!" he shouted enthusiastically while shoving on his sandals, stumbling to the door in the process. He raced out of the door before I could say anything else, off to who-knows-where to get some water.

I laughed out loud, delighted to have such an accepting and energy filled best friend.

(())**~~

**A.N.: Okay! Chapter 3 done! A semi-serious chapter, but not too much so, I think. I couldn't help but put those uber cute moments in there. Sorry, I'm just a fluff fanatic! Please review if you liked it!**


	5. Meadow and Kakashi

**A.N.: Ok, chapter 4!!!! Tell me how I'm doing! And if you like my story, please recommend it however you can! Thanks!**

* * *

Chapter 4 – Meadow and Kakashi

(_2 weeks later)_

I yawned loudly, stumbling to my bathroom sleepily. I scratched my nose, irritated by the itchiness. I quickly stripped myself of my pajamas, and turned on my shower.

It's been two weeks since I found out about my tenant. The Genin exams are tomorrow. I perked up more at the thought. The Genin exams were why I was up now, not waiting for Lee to get me up. It was currently 3:30 AM, the sun not even up yet. Yeah, I know, waaaaaay early, but I want to get some training in before I have to go to the Academy, and I didn't want just like and hour. Psh. Short training sessions like that are for sissies.

I tested the water with my hand, carefully putting it under the spray of water. Happy with the temperature, I stepped into the shower stream, sighing in content as the warm water washed over me. I just stood there for a moment, letting the water relax my muscles, before I started washing my golden hair.

Finishing my shower, I stepped out, careful not to slip. I wrapped a towel around myself snugly, while taking another towel and drying my hair. Walking out of my steam-filled bathroom, I head over to my dresser. Putting on a bra and underwear, I thought about what I should wear. I grinned, remembering the ninja clothes Gai-sensei bought me.

Taking out one of the sets, I put the clothing articles on, layer by layer. Gai-sensei had bought me and Lee some clothes a while back, saying that to wear what we had been would be 'Most unyouthful'. Lee later translated that to 'It's dangerous.' Lee was like my personal translator for 'Gai-speech' as I called it. He said the weirdest things, so most the time I didn't get what he was saying. But, Lee ended up getting it with a bit of practice. Thank goodness Lee doesn't talk that way himself. I shuddered.

Gai ended up getting me some pretty good stuff. I had a fishnet shirt that went to my elbows, with an orange tank top over it. Yes, I still loved orange, but Gai said that there's nothing wrong with bright colors as long as you can be extra stealthy. For the bottom half of me, I had some plain black cargo pants with standard ninja sandals. I also had a few helpful accessories, such as the fingerless gloves with metal plating on the back and the black pouch holding all my ninja weapons.

After dressing, I walked back into the bathroom, using my hand to wipe off some of the mirror to see. I brushed my hair in long, deft strokes, then tied it up into a loose ponytail. I decided that I was too old for pigtails, and ended up with a ponytail. It actually looked pretty nice.

I glanced at my watch, then headed for the door. It was now 4:00 AM. I exited my house quietly, locking my door behind me. It was still dark out, but the sun would start to rise in about a half an hour, so I didn't mind training in the dark for a while.

I walked swiftly to training ground nine, my body shivering in the cool air. I arrived at the familiar sight soon enough, and immediately started my stretches. A few minutes later, I was slightly warmer than before and my muscled were ready to train. I found the trail I found the day before, with difficultly, I might add, and started off jogging. I didn't really know where the trail ended up, since I only had about fifteen minutes last night to check it out, but I had a strange feeling that it would be good.

* * *

I gasped at the beauty of what I was seeing. The trail ended up leading me up a mountain, and at the top of it, where I was now standing, I could see a flowery meadow. The meadow was beautiful in itself, but the reds and oranges of the sunrise cast a surreal glow over everything.

I put a hand to my mouth, in awe of the brilliance of this place. I made my way down the side of the mountain and was walking in the meadow in no time. There was so many different kinds of flowers, I could barely recognize them all, despite my kunoichi classes.

I walked among the flowers, my hand brushing the odd stocks of grass here and there that were longer than the others. I stopped suddenly, then arched my feet like I was jumping, but not leaving the ground. The floor to the meadow moved with me! I looked down, brushing aside some of the soil with my foot. There's wood! I got down on my knees, brushing away the dirt with my hands hurriedly. I soon uncovered a latch connected to the wood, which I now identified as some kind of trap door.

Hesitating only a moment, I ripped open the door, making the dirt left on the top fly into the air. I coughed as inhaled some unintentionally, the dust catching in my throat. I waved my hand to clear the air, then gasped at what I saw. Under the trap door was an underground room. I spotted a ladder attached to the side of the opening, and lowered myself into the room.

Looking around, I found that it was about the size of the Hokage's office. It had a twin sized bed that looked rather dusty with no sheets or blankets in one corner, while there was a surprisingly nicely made wooden desk in the other corner. A small coffee table sat in the middle of the room and a door was on the far wall. I walked curiously over to the door, and upon opening it, I found that it was a small cupboard. The walls of the underground hideaway were wood, like someone dug out a hole and reinforced it with wood paneling to make it look more like a room.

I looked around the room in awe. This place keeps getting better! First the gorgeous meadow, now this. By the looks of this place, no one has been here in at least five years, if not ten. I grinned happily. I would have to come back here.

I climbed out of the secret room, closing the trap door securely when I got out. Looking around, I spot a tall tree nearby, and head over to it. Climbing up the tree agilely, I take a seat comfortably on a branch, resting my head on the bark.

I stare at the wonderful scenery, lost in its magnificence. I just want to sit there for a while. Besides, I have time to spare…

I jolted suddenly out of my daze, almost falling out of the tree as I did so. I looked at my watch. Crap! I most defiantly didn't have time to spare. It was 6:30 now, and it took at least a half an hour to get back to my house from here. I took longer than I thought looking around.

I jumped gracefully out of the tree, landing lightly on my feet. I took off running down the trail, my hair coming loose of its bun in my haste, making my hair reach my lower back in the ponytail it was now in. If I ran fast, I would make it before Lee got to my house…

* * *

I burst through the already unlocked door of my house, breathing hard. Lee, who was on his way to my bedroom where he probably thought I was, jumped a foot in the air.

"Naru! You about gave me a heart attack!" He yelled, holding the spot where his heart is. I grinned at him tiredly, still huffing.

"You know, you can't just go and bang doors open when people are in-" He stopped suddenly, finally realizing that I wasn't asleep like usual and wasn't in the house before now, "Hey! You're awake before I got here! Where were you?"

I scratched the back of my head sheepishly, regaining my breath. "Well, actually, I…" I paused for a moment, debating in my mind, "have been up since 4:00 training."

I wanted to tell him about what I found, but decided against it. I'll fix it up first, then show it to him as a surprise. I grinned in my mind at the thought.

He blinked, then grinned at me. "That's great! Though that is really early..." He said while I fixed my hair, repositioning it into a bun.

I nodded, then looked at my wall clock. "We should get going, it's our last full day at the Academy, we don't want to be late, eh?" I grinned, confident that we would pass tomorrow.

Lee smiled happily, leading the way out of my apartment. As I said before, Gai got Lee new clothes too. Lee was (thankfully) not wearing a green jumpsuit like Gai wanted him to, though he was wearing green. He was wearing a green shirt with the Leaf symbol on the back, paired with some tan cargo pants similar to mine. He also had a tan ninja pouch with all his ninja gear, standard ninja sandals and bandages going up his arms. It was simple, yet effective for him. His hair style also changed, a bowl cut like Gai's, the only thing that made him look like our sensei, for which I am glad for.

We were soon nearing the gates of the Academy. I checked my watch. "Lee, we're actually _early_!"

He laughed, "Yeah, that's because I didn't have to spend forever getting you up."

I laughed too, agreeing with him. We both went to our classes, taking our time for once. I opened the door to only see Iruka-sensei sitting at his desk. He looked up at the sound of the door opening, then blinked a few times.

"You're early!" He exclaimed, pointing at me furiously.

I rolled my eyes, "Yes, oh no, the apocalypse is coming, Naru's early."

After getting over his shock, Iruka sat back down. "Not that it's a bad thing, but why are you early?"

"Oh! Lee usually spends a long time trying to get me up in the mornings, but today I was up at like 3:30 training, so we ended up here with time to spare."

Iruka blinked again, then smiled. "That's really early to be up. You're really serious about graduating early, aren't you?"

I grinned proudly. "Yep! I'm sooooo going to graduate tomorrow, whatever it takes!"

Iruka nodded, then turned back to whatever he was doing before I arrived. I wandered over to his desk. "What are you doing, Iruka-sensei?" I ask after a moment.

He glanced back up at me before returning his gaze downward. "Paperwork."

I thought for a moment, then asked cheerfully, "Can I help?"

Iruka looked back up at me, longer this time, then smiled kindly, 'Sure, Naru, I'd love some help."

I grinned brightly, then did what he told me to do. The other students soon filtered in, walking to their seat chattering with their friends while I helped Iruka. When the bell rung, I made my way to my seat, humming happily as I did. As class started, I missed the secret smile Iruka gave me, fondness radiating from it.

_(Later that day –Training)_

I hurled another kunai at the log in our training field, thinking hard. Iruka-sensei said that in the exams tomorrow I would have to make three bunshins. The thing was, I was more advanced than the class in everything _but_ that. Sure, the rest of my class could make one, but I couldn't even make that many! They all turned out sickly and dead-looking no mater how many times I tried. It frustrated me to no end!

"Gai-sensei," I called, turning away from my post to where Lee and Gai were sparring. He turned in my direction, both of them stopping their spar to listen to what I had to say. "Umm… Iruka-sensei said that to pass tomorrow I have to make three bunshins, but it doesn't work no matter how I do it."

Gai looked thoughtful, hands on his hips as he thought about my problem. "Do one for me," he commanded.

I sighed, then stared doing the hand signs for the jutsu. "Bunshin no Jutsu!"

There was a puff of smoke and a clone poofed into existence. It was on the ground, green and totally useless. I sweat dropped at the sight of it, then looked to Gai for his assessment.

"Hmmm…. Well, I don't know what the problem is…" He said to me, making my spirits drop, "But… I know a very hip person who may be able to help you."

I perked up again, "Who?"

Gai grinned, "My eternal rival, of course! Here…" he took out a piece of paper and started writing an address on it, then handed it to me. "His name's Kakashi, and if you tell him he can have a point if he helps you, he's sure to give you some advice!"

"Kakashi, got it," I nodded, not even asking about the point thing Gai was talking about. I turned towards town, walking to where the address stated, hoping it didn't take me long to find him.

* * *

I stood in front of an apartment door, rechecking the address. I sighed, "Looks like this is the place…"

I knocked on the door lightly, and almost immediately a masked man with gravity defying silver hair answered the door, like he knew I was there. Oh, duh, he's a ninja, of course he knew I was there. He didn't seem to be paying me attention, reading an orange book with his once visible eye.

"Erm… hi. Are you Kakashi?"

He looked up for a moment, then back down. "Yes, I am. What do you need?" he said in a lazy drawl.

"Um… Well, Gai-sensei sent me here, asking you to help me."

"Oh, you're one of Gai's students that he keeps jabbering on about, hmm?" He said, giving me his full attention now.

I scratched my head sheepishly, "Heh, yeah. That's me."

He put a hand to his chin, "What do you need help with?"

"Oh! Well, you see, I can't do a proper bunshin, and I was wondering if you could tell what I was doing wrong, since Gai said he doesn't know."

He sighed lazily, then stepped around me, putting away is book as he did so. He beckoned me to follow him, walking down the hall of his apartment building. I hurried to follow him, catching up quickly.

He led me to a nearby training ground, stopping in the middle. He turned back to me, his stance slumped over.

"Okay, make a bunshin for me." He drawled.

I sighed, and repeated what I did a few minutes ago for Gai. The result was the same, a sickly looking clone.

"See? I don't know what's wrong with them."

Kakashi walked over to it, inspecting it idly. "You pump too much chakra into it. You have way too much chakra to do this effectively without perfect chakra control."

I frowned, processing his observation. "Oh, well that makes sense. It's because of the…" I mumbled, but was heard anyway.

"You know?" He asked, looking at me intently.

I froze, looking up at him. Crap. "Y-yes…"

He nodded, "Its okay, I'm not like the villagers, I know you're not the demon itself."

I relaxed, "Thanks."

He smiled, or well, I think he smiled. His eye just turned up into a 'u' shape, and he looked cheerful, I guess. "No problem."

I frowned again. "Well, now what am I going to do? My chakra control sucks, and I need to create at least three clones by tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow?" he asked, sounding curious.

"Hmm? Oh, the Genin exam is tomorrow, and I need to make three clones to pass."

"Oh, yes, Gai said something about you wanting to graduate early."

I nodded. Kakashi scratched his chin, then said, "Well, about making clones, I know a technique that you could use easily with the chakra pool size you have, if you want to learn it."

My eyes brightened. "Of course!"

He eye smiled again at my enthusiasm. "Right, so it's called 'Kage Bunshin', but unlike the regular clone technique, the clones you make are solid, and take more chakra."

I nodded, hanging off his every word. He did some hand seals, then there was a puff of smoke, revealing an exact copy of Kakashi. "See?" he said, bopping the clone in the head, making the clone loose it's balance and fall, glaring up at the real Kakashi.

The clone disappeared, leaving only Kakashi and I in the clearing. Kakashi showed me the handseals slowly, having me imitate them. I had to try my hardest to master this technique tonight!

* * *

"Again, Naru," Kakashi said, watching me try to regain my breath. It was dark now, we've been training for hours. Of course, I had been able to make three clones little over an hour ago, but Kakashi wanted me to keep going until I could make at least ten clones at a time, saying it was 'a useful jutsu that would be more helpful in battle if you could make ten or more.'.

I did the seals again, memorized by heart already. There was nine puffs of smoke, revealing nine copies of my. I collapsed to my knees, breathing heavily. I dismissed the clones, standing up as I did so.

"Good, but you still need one more. Try again," Kakashi ordered.

I nodded, flying through the seals once more. Ten poofs sounded through the night-time air, revealing ten perfect shadow clones. I gave a shout of victory, putting my hand in front of me, my fingers forming a 'V'. "Ha! I did it!"

Kakashi eye smiled, clapping his hands slowly. "Good job, Naru. I've got to hand it to you, you don't give up."

I grinned in pride. Exhaustion took over me, causing me to fall to the ground on my backside tiredly. Kakashi sighed, walking over to me.

"Here, I'll take you to Gai's place, since you look too tired to walk there," he said, lifting me up so I was on his back, holding me steady by the legs.

"Thanks…" I sighed out tiredly as he took to the roofs. My eyes slide shut in my exhaustion. Minutes later, I heard Kakashi knocking on someone's door, but was too tired to lift my head. I felt the cold air conditioning of my sensei's house as we walked inside. It was strangely quiet, but I dismissed it as them not wanting to wake me, even though I wasn't fully asleep yet.

I felt myself being lowered down onto something comfy, and Kakashi talking in hushed tones to someone. Then I heard a surprised sound, and Gai talking back to Kakashi. Someone sat next to me while Gai and Kakashi talked. I opened my eyes a little bit to see who it was, and saw Lee sitting on the edge of the couch I was laying on. He smiled when he saw me open my eyes.

"Go back to sleep, Naru. You did well today." He said softly.

I smiled tiredly at the praise, my eyes sliding closed again, loosing myself completely to sleep.

* * *

**Wow! Very long chapter! I really like this chapter, though there wasn't too much Lee in this one. I'm glad Kakashi's in the story now, I love him! Oh, and I have a poll, so don't forget to leave your vote in a review, along with any comments you have about this chapter! Thanks!**

**Poll:**

**Should I have some bonus chapters of previous chapters from Lee's P.O.V.?**


	6. Genin Exam

**A.N.: A special thanks to all those who reviewed! Also, even you who don't have accounts on can leave a review, so please do! Well, anyway, ONWARD WITH THE STORY!**

* * *

My Protector

Chapter 5 – Genin Exams

The sunlight poured into the open window, bathing me in brightness. I scrunched up my nose, annoyed with the light that got through my closed lids. I blinked open my eyes blearily, wincing when the morning sunshine temporarily blinded me. I yawned then stretched my abused muscles. Looking around the unfamiliar room, I saw no-one else in sight.

Groaning, I stood up from where I was laying before, what I now recognized as a couch. The memories from last night came flooding back now that I was fully awake. I grinned widely, proud of my accomplishment. I wandered into another room, still grinning happily.

Opening a nearby door, I find Gai-sensei sitting at his kitchen table, reading a newspaper quietly for once. He looked up when I came through the door, then grinned dazzlingly at me. "Oh! I was wondering when you would break your youthful slumber!"

I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. I took a seat next to him, checking his apple-shaped wall clock (**Heh. Sorry**) while I did so. It was only 6:45, so I had time to get to my house and change before I had to go to the Academy.

"Kakashi told me last night about your new hip technique." said Gai, turning my attention back to him, "Will you show me?"

I stood up again eagerly, already flying through the handseals. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Five clones of myself popped into view, all grinning like I was. Gai shot up, yelling something about my 'youthfulness'. I dispelled my clones, thanking Gai.

"Oh, and Lee said to tell you that he'd be at your house early this morning to walk you to the Academy," said Gai after he finished his rant. I smiled appreciatively and nodded.

"I should get going then," I replied, walking towards his front door, "Lee and I will come by if- I mean, _when_ we pass." I smiled cheerily.

Gai grinned dazzlingly again as I walked out his front door, waving energetically. I shook my head exasperatedly at his antics, but couldn't keep the amused smile off my face. I walked the semi-short distance to my house, unlocking the door with the key from my pocket.

Stepping in, I got my things together to take a quick shower. I looked in the mirror, seeing for the first time how dirty I looked. My hair was messed up, and my face and clothes were smudged with dirt. I grinned smugly though, positive it was worth it.

After my shower, I dressed in my usual ninja attire, wondering idly where I should put my headband if I graduate. A knock at the door broke me out of my musings. I walked to the door casually, opening it to Lee's grinning face. I smiled back at him, letting him come in.

"Heya, Naru! Kakashi told me and Gai-sensei last night about you're new clone technique and it sounds really super cool! Can you show me, pleeeeeeeeease?!" he begged, getting down on his knees and clasping his hands together dramatically.

I laughed, starting the handsigns for the second time this morning. It had the same effect as before, though I was just as proud of it none the less.

Lee poked one of them in the arm, getting a half-hearted glare in return. He grinned gleefully at me, "That's so cool! They're actually solid!"

I smiled and dispelled my clones. "So, are you ready for the exam today?"

"You bet'cha!" he exclaimed, jumping up with a fist in the air, "We're both sooooo gonna pass!"

I grinned at him. It seemed I was smiling a lot today. I glanced at the clock, then turned back to my best friend.

"We should go; we don't want to be late for the exams!"

He nodded in reply, walking with me out the door. I smiled happily, trudging to the Academy with Lee chattering by my side.

* * *

"Uzamaki Naru!"

Oh, man. I stood up from my seat, all my confidence from this morning leaving me. It was my turn. All the students before me failed the 'practice' test. What if I do to? I walked to the front on shaky legs, following Iruka to the back room.

Iruka-sensei smiled kindly at me as He closed the door behind us. Mizuki-sensei was sitting behind a table watching me like he didn't expect me to pass like all the other students. Iruka went to sit beside Mizuki, looking at his clipboard.

"Ok, Naru," Said Iruka, looking back up at me, "First, I need you to perform a henge."

I gulped. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. I can do this. I can do this.

I reopened my eyes, determination shining in them. I _can_ do this.

I preformed the handseals flawlessly. "Henge no Jutsu!"

Smoke consumed my form, then clearing to reveal the shape of Iruka standing in my spot. I smiled a kindly smile like Iruka always does, pulling it off perfectly. The real Iruka smiled, while Mizuki sat up in his seat straighter.

"Good," said Iruka as I undid the henge, "now I need you to use the kawarimi"

I nodded, a bit more confident in myself. This jutsu I got down to just one handseal. I preformed the jutsu easily, switching places with a pot in the corner of the room. I switched back to my place with another kawarimi.

Iruka's smile turned uneasy. "Good. Now, finally, I need you to make three bunshins."

"Um... Sensei?" I asked uncertainly, not sure if he would let me, "Could I use a different clone technique?"

Iruka looked startled, while Mizuki just looked curious. "Oh, uh, I suppose…"

I grinned at him. I flew through the handseals confidently. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

There were five puffs of smoke, revealing five, solid clones just like this morning. Mizuki jumped up with a gasp, while Iruka sat there stunned.

"No way! Solid clones?! Who taught you that?!" Mizuki yelled, looking between me and my clones.

I scratched the back of my head bashfully, "Oh, I asked Kakashi-san to help me last night, and he taught me this. I can make more, if you want to see."

Iruka stood up too, "Are you telling us that you learned this technique _last night_?"

I turned my attention to him, "Uh, yeah, yes I am." I said plainly.

Mizuki sat back down with a thump, "Amazing."

Iruka quickly got over his shock, realizing he was staring at me in wonder. He looked back down at his clipboard, then back up at me, smiling proudly.

"Well, Naru," he said, reaching into the desk drawer for something, "Looks like all your hard work paid off! You pass!"

He held out a shiny, new Konoha headband to me. I couldn't believe it, I really passed.

"Thank you Iruka-sensei!" I yelled as I tackled him in a hug. He laughed at my joyfulness, picking himself up off the floor.

"Right, well let's get out there with the other students, shall we? You were the last student for the test." Iruka said while ushering me to the door.

I nodded, tying my headband around my forehead proudly. I really did it!

I walked through the classroom door, beaming. I looked at the shocked faces of my classmates. I got many different reactions. Kiba whooped and ran up to me, giving me a hug, while Hinata smiled shyly at me. Ino, a blonde girl, and Sakura, a pink-headed girl, both screeched something about 'no way that bratty blonde passed'. Sasuke, a dark haired brooding boy, looked shocked and jealous. The rest of the class congratulated me, or simply smiled.

"That's awesome! I can't believe you passed! Well, I can, but still! It's amazing!" Kiba ranted, not jealous in the least.

I took my seat after Kiba let go of me. I grinned. All my hard work paid off. I was a Genin. A _Genin_!

I barely listened as Iruka talked about how they had a chance next year to graduate and that they had nothing to be ashamed of, blah blah blah. I passed! I wonder if Lee passed. I bet he did! I caught the end of Iruka's speech, since it was directed at me.

"…Naru, you are to be here in two days for your team assignments, okay?" He said, looking at me. I nodded, then stood up and saluted him for good measure.

A few students giggled, while I just grinned foxily. Iruka just shook his head with an amused smile on his lips.

"Right, everyone, be back here for class tomorrow."

We filed out of the classroom. I made my way to our unofficial meeting spot. Closing my eyes, I basked in the pride of achieving what I worked so hard for. I frowned. Graduating early has been my goal for so long, and now that I've achieved it, what is my new goal? What did I want to do with my life?

I put a hand to my chin in thought. Well… I've always wanted to be respected… I got it! I know just what I want to do now! I want the villagers to see me for who I am, not what I carry. From this day forward… my goal will be to become the greatest ninja of Konoha, the Hokage!

I smiled proudly at my new goal. Of course, it would take a lot of time and hard work, but I know I can do it.

"How did you do it?" A voice interrupted my musings.

I opened my eyes, startled at the sound of someone talking to me. Sasuke stood in front of me; his shoulders slumped, seemingly uninterested. I blinked up at him, confused by his question.

"How'd I do what?"

Sasuke stared back at me with impassive black eyes. "How did you pass early? How are you stronger than the rest of us?"

I let out a silent 'oh'. I looked up at him carefully. Everyone knew Sasuke wanted to kill his brother, Itachi. Itachi killed the rest of Sasuke's clan, leaving him the only survivor. Year by year, his thoughts of revenge grew stronger. I had a strange feeling in the back of my mind that I had to be careful about my answer.

"Well… Let me answer you're question with a question. Do you have someone worth living for, someone you need to protect?" I asked him, standing up as I did so.

The raven shook his head. I sighed. "I am stronger than the rest of the class because I want to be stronger to protect the people I care about most. You know what makes you reach your full potential? It's having the drive to give it you're all into keeping the ones you love safe. You should find that person that you want to protect, because only then, will you be strong"

I knew why he wanted to know. But he needed to understand before he got in too deep of vengeance that being there for loved ones was the true definition of strong.

I spotted Lee waving to me by the Academy gates, beckoning me over. I could see the headband proudly displayed on his head, and almost grinned.

I started to walk past Sasuke, but paused when he spoke again.

"Who is special to you, Naru?"

I smiled at him, "Lee, Old Man, my senseis, my classmates, and though they may not like me yet, all the ninjas and villagers of the hidden Leaf. Oh, and also any other people I may meet in the future."

I jogged over to where Lee was waiting impatiently, grinning at him. When I was within range, he tackled me in a bear hug.

"We did it! We did it!" Lee yelled ecstatically. I giggled at his enthusiasm.

After we picked ourselves up off the ground, we started jumping in circles like little kids, screaming 'We passed! We passed!' We did it! We both passed at the same time! I stopped jumping around, remembering what I told Gai.

"Oh, Lee. I told Gai-sensei that we'd go by his house after we got out of the Academy. We should head there now."

My black haired friend nodded, before taking my hand and dragging me towards Gai's place. I laughed merrily, letting myself be dragged along. Lee jabbered constantly with me inputting occasionally.

We were soon to our sensei's house, where I had been earlier this morning. Lee knocked enthusiastically on the door, almost pounding it down. Gai-sensei opened the door quickly, standing there with a huge grin on his face. He saw our headbands and invited us in, shouting all the while.

"My youthful students! I knew your youthfulness would prevail! Now you are both youthfully youthful genin of Konoha!" he continued to ramble on about our 'youthfulness' as we made our way to the living room.

Lee and Gai chatted for a while, while I sat, lost in thought. I wonder if my words to Sasuke made a difference. Can I actually make a difference in anyone?

"…Naru. Naru?" I was startled out of my revere by a hand waving in front of my face. I looked to the person who was trying to get my attention. "Are you okay?"

I smiled at the two other people in the room, "I'm fine, just thinking."

They looked at me suspiciously, "What about?" asked Gai.

"Hmm? Oh, well, I talked to Uchiha Sasuke before I came here with Lee. I was just wondering if what I said to him would make a difference in his views."

"Oh, I see." said Lee, "I saw you talking to him before you came over to the gate."

Gai nodded, dropping the subject. Lee and Gai returned to their conversation. I spotted a vase of flowers in the corner of the room. Flowers… Oh! Flowers! The meadow I found yesterday! Maybe I should look for some stuff to put in the study (**A.N. I'm just going to call the trap-door-room-thingy a study for the sake of my fingers) **

I stood up, "I need to get going, I have some stuff to do today." I turned to Lee, "Can you meet me at my house tomorrow around 12:00?"

Lee nodded, but asked curiously, "Why?"

I winked one of my blue eyes, "It's a graduation surprise."

I gave them both hugs, then left Gai's house. I put a hand to my chin. Hmmm… where was I going to find some furniture?

* * *

I looked around the newly cleaned underground study. Everything was sparkling clean. I spent hours mopping and dusting. Then, I went out and found some descent looking furniture. I ended up with a small bright blue couch, a green armchair, a rolling chair for the desk, and a small coffee table. It was a good thing Lee and I liked bright colors and the rest of Konoha didn't. For the bed I used some of my extra sheets and covers from my apartment, along with some pillows. In the desk, I put some pens and plain paper I found. It was amazing how much stuff people in this town threw away.

I put some of my extra ninja gear in the cabinet, along with some rations. I didn't really want to put food in the cabinet, since there wasn't a kitchen, but it seemed perfect for storage of extra ninja tools.

I was glad that I learned to make solid clones, or else it would have taken _forever_ to take all of this stuff here from town. I smiled at my work. It looked perfect! Hmmm… But it was missing something… Oh! I grabbed an orange tinted vase and filled it with water, then placed some flowers from outside in it and set it on the table. There… Lee is going to _love_ it!

* * *

**A.N.: I know, kinda a weird spot to end it, but I couldn't think of anything better.**

**Also, if you find a chapter I've already written and you want me to do a bonus of it in Lee's P.O.V., let me know! Oh, and I have a challenge for you: What is your favorite line/part of this chapter? Write it in a review!**

**HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!**


	7. Bonus Chapter Lee's POV

**A.N.: Okay, so I decided to do a bonus chapter in Lee's P.O.V. every once in a while. You don't have to read them, since they're just past chapters from a different point of view. Well here's the first one, so tell me what you think, Okay?**

* * *

Bonus Chapter – Kyuubi

Lee's P.O.V.

I jumped agilely to another roof top. I looked around what I could see of the town in the dim light. I was looking for Naru. It's her birthday today, but I hadn't seen her since the Academy let out, telling me that she had some stuff to do and would meet me at about 5:00. It was now almost 9:00, and I was worried out of my mind. Naru always managed to end up in the worst of situations…

I jumped to another building, almost running into a green clad chest that appeared in front of me. I looked up to see my sensei standing there, in all his spandex jumpsuit glory. He grinned dazzlingly at me, oblivious to my distress.

"Hello my youthful student! What are you doing out at this time of day?"

"Have you seen Naru?" I asked him franticly, ignoring his question.

Gai looked confused. "Naru? No, I haven't seen her. Why?"

I moved around him impatiently, leaving him to follow me as I kept jumping to roofs, looking around as I did. "I can't find her, and she always ends up getting into trouble when I leave her alone for too long."

I continued my searching, Gai keeping up with me easily. We were silent for a while, until my sensei spoke in an unusually serious voice, "It's the tenth, isn't it."

I looked back at him, surprised. "Yes, Naru's birthday."

An uncharacteristic frown marred his features, his eyes darkening. I've never seen him like this, though I haven't really known him for long. Gai suddenly ran faster, causing me to push myself to keep up with him.

"I knew it," He mumbled under his breath, then turned back to me, "Lee, we need to find her quickly. She could be in danger because of what day it is."

I was itching to ask why she could be in danger because of today, but restrained myself. Now was not the time to ask questions, Naru could be hurt, and I _needed_ to stop that as soon as possible.

We jumped from roof to roof frantically, searching deserted shopping centers and alleyways. We stopped to catch our breath for a moment. I looked over at my sensei pleadingly, wondering what we should do now.

Gai caught my look. "We can't give up. We _will_ find her, you can count on it."

I nodded resolutely, regaining my determination.

Taking off again, we soon heard yelling coming from a nearby alley. It sounded like a group of men. As we headed towards them, I could feel dread growing in my stomach. We jumped down to the opening of the alley, and spotted a familiar face.

Naru was being held by one of her bloody blond pigtails in the middle of the group. She was badly beaten up, cuts and bruises littering her body. Rage spread through my body like wildfire at the sight of her like this. I clenched up my fists and made to move forward, before freezing at what one of the men was saying to Naru.

"Oh, you don't know, do you?" the man laughed in her face, "Well, I'll tell you. The Kyuubi wasn't defeated, it turned into you! _You_ killed the Fourth Hokage, along with all those oth-" He was cut off by a kunai that came from Gai's hand. I turned to him, and saw my sensei's _furious_ face.

"Though I wish you didn't say that, now I have a valid reason to beat you up, as you just broke the law involving that S-class secret." the normally cheerful man growled.

We launched ourselves at the men, sending them flying towards the back of the alley. I don't really remember what we did, I just remember wanting to beat the crap out of them. I was mad and confused. What did he mean when he said that my friend is the Kyuubi? I pushed that aside for now, deciding to get my answers later.

Gai suddenly pulled me back from the man I was beating up. "Lee, listen." He said to me, looking strangely serious, "I'll take care of these guys. Right now I need you to go to Naru. I don't know how she is, and I need you to find out."

He nodded his head in her direction. I looked over to see her sitting against the wall staring at her hands, no expression on her face. I turned back to the green clad man and nodded my head, already heading to Naru.

I crouched down by her, my round eyes widening further at the sight of her up close. "Naru…" I said, hoping to get her attention. "Naru, are you alright?"

She didn't respond, so I put a hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently.

"Naru."

I was starting to panic. She didn't seem to hear me. I shook her harder. She just stared at her hands. I didn't understand. Was this about what that horrible man said?

"Naru!" I yelled desperately. Gai came over when he heard me yelling, looking grim. He kneeled in front of Naru, watching her closely.

"Naru! Snap out of it!"

Gai had no more luck than I did. I distantly heard ANBU taking care of the men behind me and hurried footsteps coming our way.

"Naru!" yelled the Sandaime, coming up on Naru's other side. When Naru didn't even blink, I felt hopelessness well up in me. I said I'd protect her. I _promised_. I wrapped my arms around her gently, burying my face in her shoulder.

"Naru, please…" I mumbled, my voice pleading. Nothing happened for a few moments, then I felt her head move slowly towards me. I looked up hopefully. My eyes instantly connect with brilliant blue. Misery, despair, anger, confusion, so many emotions were plain for me to see in her eyes. Tears welled up when she looked at me.

"Lee…" she whispered hoarsely, her voice clogging up with the sobs that I knew were about to come. She stared into my eyes, tears rolling down her whiskered face. I knew instinctively that she was going to breakdown any second.

I drew her into my arms, tucking her head under my chin. She sobbed uncontrollably, fisting my shirt. I remembered faintly that I've never seen her cry as long as I knew her, but pushed it aside, focusing on comforting her with softly murmured words.

When she calmed down, I felt her slump forward onto my chest, fast asleep. I sat there for a moment, making sure she was asleep, then shifted her so I could see her face. Tear stains ran down her face from her puffy red eyes. I sighed softly, smiling sadly as I shifted her again so I was holding her bridal style. I stood up slowly, careful not to jolst my sleeping friend. I looked to the two other men that were standing nearby, flicking my head towards where I was pretty sure the hospital was, indicating that we should go there.

I didn't wait for them to respond before taking off on the rooftops to the hospital. I looked down to the sleeping girl tenderly. I would make sure she was taken care of before I got my answers about what this was all about.

* * *

"Why is she treated like this?" I yelled at the men before me, my arms crossed. Naru was in the room behind me sleeping soundly. Her wounds were healed only a few minutes before, by a grudging nurse. It took the Hokage's order to make her heal my friend, something that didn't slip by my attention.

The elderly man that was the Hokage rubbed his temples tiredly, glancing at my sensei. "You wouldn't understand."

That one sentence made my anger grow to its peak. I wouldn't understand?! Who was there every time Naru was insulted for no reason? Who was there when Naru was feeling lonely? Who is Naru's best friend?! Not them! And he says that I wouldn't _understand_.

"I _need_ to know. She's my _best friend_. I made a promise, and I need to _know_ what's going on to keep that promise." I said fiercely, my hands fisting.

The aged Hokage looked me over, seeming to be thinking hard about something. He glanced at Gai, who nodded slightly. He sighed, nodding at me. He gestured to a nearby empty room with his hand, meaning for me to enter in. I turned and walked quickly to the stark white room like all the others, seating myself on the edge of the bed.

"Lee, before I tell you what's going on with Naru, I have one question for you." He said, seating himself next to Gai in one of the beside chairs. I nodded firmly, ready to answer any question so I could know what was going on.

"What really happened when you met Naru?" he asked seriously.

I was shocked by the question. I remember clearly how Naru lied to the Hokage about how we met when I we got to the Hokage tower, saying that she tripped and I found her on the playground. When I asked her why she didn't tell him the truth she simply said 'He can't help, so he doesn't need to know about it.' I never really understood why she didn't tell him. Even if he can't help, shouldn't she tell him anyways? I learned to drop the subject after a while because she always responded with the same reply.

I hesitated for a split second, unsure if Naru would be mad if she found out I told him, but reasoned that it was more important that I found out why the villagers treated her this way. "I found her pretty deep in the forest with a sprained ankle. She said the villagers chased her out there and she tripped on some moss. I promised to protect her then. I never really thought about why she even needed protecting from the people of this village in the first place until about a year ago, but when I asked her, she said she was as clueless as me."

The wise man nodded sagely, taking time to process this information carefully. "Right, thank you, Lee. Now I'll tell you about Naru's… situation. But, you have to promise that you can't talk to anyone about this besides me, Gai and Naru." I nodded back immediately, eager for him to continue. "Right, well, when Naru was born, she had a horrible demon sealed inside of her. You know the story of the Kyuubi, correct? That account isn't quite right. You see, our history states that the Fourth defeated the Kyuubi, but the older generation of this village knows that it was sealed into Naru, though they are forbidden to speak about it. They… believe that she is the demon herself. They don't see past what she holds to her person. You know as well as I that she is a wonderful girl, but the villagers don't see her like we do. That is why they act so cruel."

I was silent for a few moments, thinking over his words carefully. How horrible! I don't mean about her housing the demon, but how the villagers treat her.

"That is messed up." I said plainly.

The Hokage let out a surprised chuckle. "Yes, it is 'messed up'. But how do you feel about it?"

I scrunched up my eyebrows. What did he mean how do I feel about it? "I feel that the villagers are blind. That Naru is the same person as five minutes ago?" it came out as a question.

"YOSH! You're flames of youth have shown brightly today, Lee!" Gai exclaimed, breaking the semi-awkward atmosphere. I grinned at him, totally forgetting he was there until now. I was glad he felt the need to lighten the mood; it was a bit too stiff for my tastes. Or maybe he was just bored… He hadn't said anything about 'youth' in at least three hours…

I excused myself from the room soon after, wandering into Naru's room anxiously. I sat by her bed, watching her sleeping face. (**A.N. STALKER! Lol.) **

I sighed softly, grabbing her hand gently. I was worried about her. How would she take this? Will she trust the Hokage after this? She barely did now, how would it be after she found out that he was keeping something this grand from her?

When was she going to wake up so I could talk to her?!

* * *

Redness that I identified as sunlight poured through my closed lids, making my nose scrunch up, wanting more sleep. It's been three nights since we brought Naru to the hospital, and she still hasn't woken. I haven't left her room either, sleeping there every night. I crawled in next to her last night when Gai left, letting my drowsiness take over.

"Lee…" someone whispered, shaking me gently. I groaned back, not wanting to wake up yet.

I heard a familiar giggle. "C'mon Lee… its morning, time to get up…"

Resigning myself to the inevitable, I opened my eyes, momentarily blinded by the sunlight filtering through the window. I blinked confusedly at the girl sitting before me.

She grinned. "Good morning, sleepy head!"

… Who? Wait… Blonde hair, blue eyes, whiskers… Naru! I sat up, pulling her with me because my arms wrapped around her waist sometime during the night.

"Naru! You… You're awake!" I exclaimed, struggling for a moment to form a full sentence.

"Yeah, I woke up this morning, but you were still asleep," she said, still grinning.

I waved her off, wanting to ask my questions that I have been dying to ask while she was asleep. "Are you okay? How are you feeling? Are you still hurt?"

She laughed at my flurry of questions, "Slow down, slow down. Yes, I'm okay, I feel fine and no, I'm not hurt anymore."

Okay? Something in her eyes seemed off though. She couldn't hide it from me, no matter how much she tried. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Her grin slipped off her face slowly, being replaced with a thoughtful frown. I knew all this must have affected her somehow.

She looked up at me, unwavering trust shining in her eyes. "I… I'm okay for the most part. The Old Man talked to me this morning when you were still sleeping, so I feel much better about it than I did four nights ago. I mean… I'm still very…" she paused, looking for the right word, "apprehensive about it, but at least I know _why_ the villagers act as they do now."

I watched her. She seemed sincere in her words. "It's okay to be worried about it; I would be too if I found out something like that," I said, trying to reassure her the best I could.

She smiled somewhat hesitantly. "Are you sure you're okay with it?"

I was taken aback, but then realized that she was unsure in herself, not me. I would be doubtful too if in her position. "Of course, Naru." I said, "You're still my best-est-est friend in the whole wide world!" I added, knowing that the mood needed to be lightened some, grinning broadly.

She grinned back, looking reassured by my efforts. I tackled her in a bear hug, trying to regain some form of normal for us. She happily hugged back, then released me, laughing. I joined in; happy everything was okay for now.

After we calmed down some, she looked around the room, rubbing at her throat unconsciously. "What is it, Naru?" I asked, concerned.

She turned back to me, "Oh! I was just looking for some water since my throat is kinds sore."

I hopped out of her bed, landing rather awkwardly in my haste. "I'll get it! I'll get it!" I yelled enthusiastically while I pulled on my sandals. I rushed out the door before she could say anything, but heard her laughter behind me.

I grinned. Things got more complicated, but we still had each other to lean on, right?

* * *

**So, what do you think? Remember to review! A special thanks to those who review every chapter! You're all awesome!**


	8. Team 9

**A.N. Okay, so I want to dedicate this chapter to one of my faithful reviewers: **_**animeboylover! **_**I love your reviews so much! After each chapter I always wonder when you are going to review, so thanks! **

**EDIT: Hey, I just noticed I labeled this chapter and the one after this wrong, so I went back and fixed it. Sorry about that.**

* * *

My Protector

Chapter 6 – Team 9

I slammed my hand on the evil machine that woke me up. My day off and I forgot to turn off my alarm before I went to sleep. I groaned as I sat up. I was the type of person that once I got up I couldn't get back to sleep at all. I groaned again, standing up slowly from my bed. I sighed tiredly, making my way to my bathroom.

I turned on my shower on the hottest setting, waiting until it heated up before jumping in. I let the water wash over me slowly, relaxing and waking me up at the same time. I stepped out after I finished washing myself, quickly brushing my hair and getting dressed in my usual attire. I looked in the mirror, realizing that I hadn't put on my headband yet. I decided to sling it around my neck, thinking it looked best there.

I looked at my watch, seeing that it was about the time that Lee would come to get me up if we had still been in the Academy. I wondered what to do. I could train, but it was my day off, so I wasn't too keen on the idea. I got an idea and rushed out the door, locking it as I did. I could go help Iruka-sensei at the Academy this morning like the other day! I'm sure he wouldn't mind me being there…

I hurried down the road, ignoring the glares sent my way. Soon the Academy came in to view, a familiar sight that was almost comforting. I slowed my run down to a walk, making my way to my old classroom. When I walked in, I saw Iruka sitting there like two days ago, filing and signing papers busily. I grinned at him when he looked up, surprised at seeing me in his classroom.

"Naru! What are you doing here? You're not supposed to come for the sorting until to tomorrow."

I smiled at him, "I know, but I don't have anything to do until noon, and I wanted to see if you needed any help."

He looked shocked at my answer for a moment, then his face softened in his familiar kindly smile. "Sure, Naru, I'd love some help."

I made my way over to him, glad I could help out my favorite teacher. I did whatever he asked of me for a while, only leaving when my former classmates started to arrive. I wandered around town after that, no destination in mind as I waited for noon to roll around.

* * *

A knocking at my door drew me out of my bored daze. I looked up from my couch for a moment before standing and walking to my front door. I open it to find Lee standing there, his new Konoha headband tied around his forearm. I smile at him, walking out to stand beside him.

"Heya, Lee." I said when I locked the door again, "How are you today?"

"Good." He replied, grinning his familiar toothy smile at me.

"I have something really cool to show you," I said, grinning like a maniac.

"Ooooh, what is it?!" He asked back, almost jumping up and down.

I took the lead, skipping cheerily, "You'll just have to wait and see!"

* * *

"Ok, a few more steps!" I said, grinning broadly from my position behind Lee, my hands covering his eyes. Lee stepped forward again, trying not to trip on the rocks at his feet. We were at the top of the mountain, overlooking the flower filled meadow. I was anxious to see his reaction.

"There!" I exclaimed, uncovering his eyes in a swift movement. Lee gasped at the sight, his eyes opening wider in wonder. I grinned, pleased that Lee liked my discovery.

"Cool, huh?" I said, getting a nod in return. "I found this a few days ago, when I went jogging up here. I didn't show you then because there is something else hidden in the meadow that I was fixing up, if you want to see?"

Lee turned to me, grinning widely. "Of course I want to see! This is great! You always find the greatest places! Wow…" He rambled on as I lead him down the slope and into the surrounding flowers. I laughed delightedly, skipping through the flowers with Lee, feeling very much like a little kid. Of course, we were both little kids at heart, Lee more so than me.

When we reached where the trap door was, I stopped, dragging Lee to an abrupt halt. He turned back to me, blinking incomprehensively, as if asking _'why did you stop?_' I flashed my eyes downward, continuing our silent speech, saying _'look beneath you.'_

He followed my eyes, spotting the wooden door directly below him. He jumped back like he'd been electrocuted, almost falling as he did so. His mouth hung open, looking at the door in the ground with a shocked expression. I giggled, bringing his attention back up to me. "Is this what you were talking about?"

I nodded, opening the hatch slowly. "Yeah, it's pretty cool, huh?"

He nodded fervently, watching me open the door. I started stepping down the ladder inside, beckoning Lee to follow me. He waited for me to get to the bottom before jumping straight down. I rolled my eyes. Typical Lee.

He looked around the room, taking in the bright furniture and bed, then switching to the desk and closet. I walked over to the cupboard, opening it to reveal what I already had in it. "I thought the best use for this would be weapon and emergency food storage, since you can't really keep perishable food in a cupboard." I said, feeling the need to explain.

"Wow! This… This is just too cool! Where did you find all this stuff?" He finally said after a moment of silence.

"Oh, well, the bed and desk were already here, but I found the other furniture around town. Everything else I brought from my house."

He suddenly ran up to me, swinging me around in my arms. "This is so cool! Thanks sooooo much for showing this to me!"

I laughed. "Of course, Lee! I guess this is officially 'Lee and Naru's best hideout ever', eh?"

He put me down, as there wasn't much room for spinning, grinning from ear to ear. "Most defiantly!"

Lee started jumping around the room, looking at the finer details I knew that he would end up noticing, yelling something about 'my best-est-est friend ever!'

* * *

I grabbed Lee's hand, rushing out the door. Yesterday Lee and I spent the rest of the day at the meadow, having fun just spending time with each other. Today we got back into a familiar routine, Lee coming to wake me up, me rushing around getting ready, then rushing out the door with no time to spare. Which leads to right now, where Lee and I are running to the get to the Academy before our senseis start sorting the teams.

As the Academy neared, we saw the last few students make their way to their classrooms hurriedly. We struggled to run faster, neither of us wanting to be late for such an important day. We soon reached the correct classroom, bursting through the doors loudly, sliding on our knees identically, crying a loud "SAFE!"

There were some giggles from the rest of Lee's class, while most others looked annoyed. Lee and I rubbed the back of our heads sheepishly, saying a quick "Sorry, sensei." at the same time. We blinked at each other, before just shrugging off our simultaneous actions. It wasn't the first time something like that happened.

Iruka, who was standing in the corner, just rolled his eyes. "Yes, it's fine, just take your seats."

Lee and I nodded, making our way to our seats. There were some not-so-hushed whispers directed at me, but I ignored then. I turned my attention to Lee's teacher, Makar-sensei, a serious eyed man with black hair. He was talking about something that I didn't really want to listen to, so I just tuned him out. After his very long and boring lecture, he started to announce the team assignments. He said many names I didn't recognize, but I sat up straight when I heard my name.

"Team Nine will be: Uzamaki Naru… Rock Lee…" At this Lee and I jumped up, giving each other high-fives, "… and Hyuuga Neji." After the last name was announced, Lee slumped a little in his chair.

Hyuuga Neji… Hyuuga, eh? He must be related to Hinata. Oh, I remember her mentioning Neji; I think she said he is her cousin. I looked over at Lee, seeing his semi-disgruntled face. I raised an eyebrow curiously.

"What is it?"

He looked over at me, "It's just… Neji and I don't really get along too well. I believe in hard work, but he believes in 'fate' and 'destiny'. He doesn't really like me at all."

"That's not very nice." I said, mildly annoyed already with the boy.

The rest of the teams were announced, and some Jounin instructors were starting to show up. Hmmm… I wonder who our sensei will be. I don't really know any Jounins, beside Kakashi and Ga-

"DYNAMIC ENTRY!"

Gai in all his spandex glory crashed through the window, making a ridiculous pose as he landed. I was caught between hilarity and horror. He's not…

"I'm here for team nine! Meet me on the roof!" He yelled dramatically, gesturing wildly as he did.

I looked at Lee as our sensei left out the window he came in, seeing that he was about to crack up laughing like I was. I stifled my laughter best I could with my hand, figuring laughing was better than screaming in horror. The rest of the waiting genin gave us weird looks as we made our way to the stairs leading to the roof, while Neji just walked stoically in front of us.

I sat down on the stone steps on the roof in the middle of the two boys. Gai stood in front of us, practically bouncing in excitement. "Right! Introductions! I'm Maito Gai, your new sensei! I like the color green, and I don't dislike many things. My hobbies include training and competing with my rival, Kakashi! My dream is to train some wonderful ninjas!" He exclaimed, listing off things on his fingers. Then he pointed to Lee, "Right, you next, Lee!"

"Okay!" my friend yelled, almost as enthusiastic as Gai, "My name is Rock Lee! I also like the color green, Gai-sensei and Naru! I dislike people who pick on my friend," His eyes darkened momentarily at that, "and my hobbies include training and spending time with Naru. My dream is to become a great ninja despite my disabilities!"

Gai jumped up and down. "YOSH! You are very youthful, Lee! Alright, the other boy next!"

Neji started talking in a bored voice, as if we weren't worth his time. "I am Hyuuga Neji. I don't like very much and there are a lot of things I dislike. My hobby is training. My dream is none of your business."

Erm… Ok. That was strangely depressing. "Heh, um… I guess I'll go next." I said awkwardly, "Well, I'm Uzamaki Naru. I'm a year younger than the graduating class. I like training and spending time with Lee, Gai-sensei and Jiji. I don't really dislike quitters and traitors. My hobbies are training and my dream is to protect my friends and become the Hokage!"

I said the last part with more enthusiasm. Gai started yelling something about my 'youthful' dreams while Lee grinned toothily at me. I noticed Neji glace at me with a scowl on his face but dismissed it. Once Gai calmed down, he turned back to us.

"Right, meet me tomorrow at training ground nine at 7:00 AM for your test!"

Lee spoke up first, "Test? I thought we already passed the test?"

Gai just grinned. "That was only a pre-test. Most unyouthful, in my opinion."

Gai jumped off the roof before we could ask anything else. I shrugged, figuring I would find out tomorrow. I noticed Neji walking away quietly and just dismissed it as his personality. Though something about him seemed off…

Lee engulfed me in a bear hug, yelling 'We're on the same team!' over and over again. I laughed happily, letting him release me to drag me off to my favorite ramen stand. Lee and I passed the 'pre-exam', so we would most definitely pass the real test!

* * *

**A.N.: Ok, just so you all know, I have nothing what-so-ever against Ten-Ten! She's pretty cool, but for the sake of the plot, she's not going to exist, or is on another team, whichever you prefer. She just won't be mentioned at all in this fic! Sorry for anyone that likes her! **

** Anyway, what did you think? Remember to review! Cyber cupcakes if you do!**


	9. Bell Test

**A.N.: This chapter is dedicated to **_**YueLilianPotter**__**!**_**Thanks for all your positive comments everyone!**

* * *

My Protector

Chapter 7 – Bell Test

I yawned as I sat down on the log in training ground nine. I was up late last night training, wanting to get in as much as I could in before the test. I rested my cheek on my palm, closing my eyes. It was 6:30 AM now, so I was a half an hour early. I didn't really want to be late though, so I guess its better I got here now.

I dozed, waiting for my teammates to show up. I heard faint footsteps a minute later, moving to a log a few feet away from me. Probably Neji, Lee would have yelled at me for sleeping or something.

About twenty minutes later I yawned again, coming out of my light doze. Well while I'm waiting, I might as well get some warm up exercises in. I started some light stretches, totally ignoring the fact that Neji was right there. I was almost afraid to talk to him, something about him made me think of myself. I shook off the thought, concentrating on my warm ups.

I was doing some push ups when I heard Lee's familiar rushed footsteps. I stood up in time to see him running into the clearing, huffing. "Naru! You coulda' told me you were going to come early!"

I tilted my head confusedly. Err… why did I need to tell him? Oh… Oh! "Did you go all the way to my house this morning?!" I asked him, understanding his annoyance.

He walked over to us. "Yeah! And I spent like 15 minutes trying to get your pillow up."

I laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of my head. "Err… Sorry, Lee. I forgot that you came to pick me up every morning." Wow… I can forget something that happens every day. Heh, nice.

He instantly let up his annoyed aura at my apology. He grinned, "Its okay."

"Anyways, I'm glad I got here on time, Gai-sensei should be here soo-"

A popping sound interrupted his sentence. Gai appeared on top of a log in a swirl of pink flowers. He made his signature pose, announcing his arrival loudly. The erm… _effect_ was ruined, however, when he toppled over because the log was too small for his stance. I sweat dropped at the sight of my sensei sprawled on the ground. Yep, Gai is a master of first impressions.

He stood up again, totally unfazed. "Well, anyway! Hello, my youthful students! Are you ready for the test?"

"Sensei, you never told us what the test is." I deadpanned.

He blinked at me, incomprehensive. "I didn't?"

I sighed. "No."

"Oh," he said, but just stood up straight again, "Well, the test I have for you is this:"

He pulled our two silver bells connected to strings out of his ninja pouch. "You have to get a bell to pass."

Then he got strangely serious. "As you've noticed, there are only two, which means only two of you can pass. You have to get one before noon. Start!" he yelled, not leaving us time to ask questions.

We all jumped back into the surrounding trees. I scrunched up my eyebrows from where I was standing. There were only two bells, but…why would then let us get this far for one of us to go back? A twig snapping snapped me out of my thinking and alerted me to someone's approach. I whirled around to face them.

"Lee! You scared me!" I scolded my friend.

"Oh, sorry." He replied, "I did not mean to sneak up on you."

"It's okay. What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be trying to get a bell?"

"Yeah, well, I thought it would be a good idea for us to work together. Two heads are better than one, you know?"

Not a bad idea. Wait… Working together. Isn't that what being on a team is about? Teamwork, that's what this test is all about!

"Lee, you're a genius!" I yelled ecstatically, giving him a hug.

"I am?" He said confusedly, "Why am I a genius?"

"That's the point of the test! Teamwork! The test was designed to split us up, but none of us can defeat sensei alone!"

I dragged him off, going in the direction that I saw Neji go in. We soon came across him, leaning against a tree.

"Neji!" I whisper-yelled, as to not notify Gai of our position, "I've figured out what we should do!"

He glanced over and Lee and I emotionlessly, then back to where he was looking before. I took that as a sign to continue.

"We have to work together. Each of us can't hope to defeat a Jounin by ourselves, and it's clear that this test was specifically designed to split us up. So, will you help us?"

He turned his whole body to us now, surveying us critically. I fidgeted under his stare, uncomfortable with someone looking at me so intently. Finally he spoke up.

"I don't need to help those who are destined to fail anyways."

He walked away, leaving me and Lee stunned. Destined to fail? Is that what he really thought about us? I sighed.

"Well, it seems we'll have to do this ourselves." I said, kinda discouraged by my teammate's words.

"It's okay; we'll just do our best without Neji's help." Lee said back, trying to stay positive.

We started our planning, trying to figure out the best plan of action. We, being barely genin, didn't have many moves in our arsenal, so it was kinda hard to formulate a plan. But, we might as well do our best.

As we made our way to the clearing, we heard the tell-tale sounds of a fight. Neji must already be battling Gai. We slunk into the bushes quietly, careful not to alert them of our presence.

The two were locked in an intense battle, Neji's clan style against Gai's strong fist style. Neji seemed to be holding up well enough, that is until Gai decided to use a jutsu.

"Youth-bind no jutsu!"

A puff of smoke blocked Neji from our view, but when it cleared, I had to try my best not to laugh. Neji was incased in a giant flower, totally immobile. I shook my head, only Gai could come up with a jutsu so ridiculous.

I gave the signal to Lee, seeing our chance. He nodded, then rushed out of our cover. The plan was to have him distract Gai while I grabbed the bells when I saw an opening.

I watched Lee and Gai intently, waiting for my chance. Lee's taijutsu was pretty good, but it wasn't anywhere near Gai's skill level. Soon Lee had to remove his weights to keep up with our sensei. Lee tried to use an axe kick, but Gai was getting ready to catch it. Now was my chance!

I darted forward while Gai was preoccupied with getting ready to catch Lee's kick. I reached out to grab the bells when Gai noticed me. He moved his hand to stop me, but totally forgot about Lee's attack whilst doing so, which landed right on target. I grabbed the bells just as Gai's face slammed into the ground. Ouch.

"Gai-sensei, are you okay?" Asked Lee, poking the twitching form on the ground.

He got a muffled reply from the green clad man. "What?" I asked. He lifted his head up, flashing us a dazzling grin, "I'm fine."

He jumped up just as Neji untangled himself from the flower. "Well done, my youthful students!" Gai yelled as Neji made his way over. He turned to me, "Now, who are you going to give the other bell to?"

I hesitated. Of course I was going to give Lee one, but should I really keep the other one? I didn't really deserve it, I didn't really do anything. I just grabbed the bells while Lee did all the work, and Neji at least attempted to attack him.

Making up my mind, I tossed a bell to each boy, "I give both the bells to my teammates because they deserve to be genin more than I do."

"But-!" Lee started to argue, but Gai interrupted him with a raise of his hand. Gai looked serious, and Lee knew not to argue, as much as he wanted to.

"Naru has made her decision. Neji, Lee, you both pass. Naru, you-" He drew himself up, and I readied myself for what I knew what was coming.

"-Pass also!"

I blinked, looking up at Gai. "I… Pass?"

"Yep!" he said cheerfully, giving me a thumbs up.

"A-ah… what? How? I… I didn't get a bell."

"Yes, but, you realized the purpose of this test. Teamwork. You sacrificed yourself for your friends, and put their passing this test before your own. In the ninja world, you must be willing to do whatever it takes to help out a teammate or fellow Leaf shinobi."

"So, youthful genin, team Gai will meet here tomorrow at 6:30 AM sharp!" He said, finishing his rant about teamwork. He left in a swirl of flowers, leaving us to stare at the spot he stood. Neji started to walk away, looking bored. Lee grabbed me, spinning me around, laughing cheerfully. I laughed too.

We passed!

* * *

"Hey, Naru?" asked Lee from my right, breaking the rare silence. After the bell test Lee and I went out to get ramen, and then came to the meadow. It was dark now, and we are currently laying in the flowers looking at the stars in a calm silence. That is until Lee broke it.

"Yes?" I responded.

He turned onto his side towards me, propping his head up with his elbow. I looked over at him.

"What did you mean today, when you said that Neji and I deserved to be genin more than you?" He asked, watching my face carefully.

I squirmed under his gaze. "Um… Well, I didn't really do anything. You and Neji at least _tried_ to fight Gai, while I just waited for an opening to grab the bells."

"That's true," He said, grimacing at it, "But you came up with most of our plan in the first place. And neither one of us would've been able to get the bells without your help. _And_ even if our parts of our plan had been switched, I know you would've done well. You deserve to be a genin just as much as Neji and I do."

I turned my whole body to him. "Really?" I asked, unsure.

He smiled at me. "Yes." He said confidently.

I smiled back. Lee always knew just how to make me feel better.

I lay flat on my back again, staring back up at the stars. Exhaustion from the day's events washed over me, making my eyelids droop down. My body relaxed, letting myself fall asleep.

"Thanks, Lee."

* * *

I awoke with my cheek pressed up against something warm and soft. I lifted my head up tiredly to discover that it was Lee's green T-shirt covered chest. I looked up at the sleeping boy, then all around us. Oh, we were still in the meadow. Lee must've fallen asleep like I did.

Wait, what time is it? I checked my watch. "CRAP!" I yelled.

"Lee!" I yelled, shaking my friend, "Lee, get up, were gonna be late!"

He woke up immediately, jumping up when I said 'late'.

"What? What time is it?" He asked frantically, waving his arms around.

"6:25!" He ran off almost before I could finish, "A- Lee! Wait! I can't run as fast as you!"

"Darn it!"

* * *

**A.N.: Haha, I could help but add that last part. A bit shorter than the previous chapters, but, I did my best to make it longer. Remember to review! Tell me you're favorite part of this chapter!**


	10. Konohamaru

**A.N.: Next chapter! Enter: Konohamaru! And meanie villagers! :P**

* * *

My Protector

Chapter 8 – Konohamaru

I sat in front of the Hokage, waiting for my identification card to be approved. I don't know why the heck it takes so long for someone to look over my picture and information, but, whatever.

"Alright, Naru, this looks go-" the elderly man was interrupted by the door banging open.

"Today I will defeat you, old man!" shouted a kid from the doorway, a blunted kunai at the ready. He started to run over to the Hokage, but tripped on the ridiculously long scarf he was wearing. I sweatdropped at the sight, reminded very much of Gai.

He jumped back up, looking around the room furiously. He spotted me pointing at me angrily. "You tripped me!"

"What the…" I said, "Kid, you tripped yourself."

He strode up to me, intent on blaming me. "Nuh-uh! I saw you!"

My eyebrow twitched, but I tried my best to keep my cool. "Whatever."

I walked up to the Hokage's desk, grabbing my I.D. I walked to the door silently, ignoring the kid's furious gaze. I turned around to face him, though, when he let out an angry shout, charging at me.

I pinned him down easily due to my training. The kid looked shocked, his eyes wide. I got off him, throwing down the kunai I snatched from his grip beside him. "Shouting out before attacking someone isn't the best idea."

I walked out of the room, leaving behind a shell-shocked kid, and a surprised Hokage.

* * *

"Man! Would you stop following me?!" I yelled behind me, getting annoyed with the small boy. The kid from earlier had taken to tailing me, and not doing a very good job of concealing himself. Right now he was hiding behind a paper printed to look like the fence… only he was holding it the wrong way.

"Ha! So you saw through my disguise! You are skilled!" He yelled, throwing away the paper.

"Why are you following me?!"

"Because I want to know how you are so strong!"

I blinked at him. "Huh?"

"You were able to take me down in a few seconds! I want to know how!"

I blinked again. This kid is weird. "Err… Well, why do you want to be strong in the first place?"

He bounced up to me, grinning cutely. "I want to beat the old man!"

I nodded, recalling his battle cry when he first burst into the office. "Okay, but why do you want to beat the old man?"

"If I beat him, I can become Hokage!" he said, nodding sagely.

I bopped him on the head, making him look back up at me. "Hey!"

"Stupid! Defeating the old man won't get you the title of Hokage! Put in jail, yes, but it won't get you the respect of being Hokage! And being Hokage isn't just being strong!"

"B-but… Ebisu-sensei said that he had to make me strong faster so I could follow in my grandfather's footsteps. He said he was my best shortcut." He replied.

I scowled. Stupid men… "No, there are no shortcuts! You have to gain the respect of the people, and that takes a long time. It takes hard work and time."

"There… are no shortcuts? How do you know about all this?"

I smiled, ruffling his hair. "Because we share the same dream."

His eyes widened in awe. "You want to be Hokage too?"

I grinned, "You bet'cha!"

He jumped up and down excitedly. "Okay! I'll let you be my boss if you teach me how to be a respectable ninja!"

I blinked at the kid. "Eh?"

"Pleeeeeeeeease, Boss!"

I sighed, then smiled at the kid. "Sure, kid." I said as I started walking towards Team Gai's training ground. "Wait, what's you're name anyway?"

"Konohamaru! What's you're name, boss?"

"I'm Naru. And please don't call me boss, it's kinda weird."

"Can I call you onee-chan then?"

I looked over at the small boy, who was grinning at me. "U-uh… if you want."

"So, what are we going to do now, onee-chan?"

I scratched the back of my head. "Well, actually, I have training and missions with my team today."

"Awwww…" he whined. "Can I come watch?"

"It's fine with me, but I have to ask my sensei and teammates first."

"YATTA! Thanks, onee-chan!"

I smiled, encouraged by his enthusiasm. I stopped walking suddenly, turning to Konohamaru. "Konohamaru, one of my teammates is a great fighter, but he isn't much of a people person. He can be kinda mean, so don't let him affect you, okay?"

He nodded as we started walking again. "Is he a respectable ninja?"

I paused mid-step, surprised by the question. "Not yet…" I said finally.

I couldn't say anything else on the subject as we made it to our training ground. Gai and Lee were sparring, while Neji was practicing his clan moves by himself. As Konohamaru and I walked into the clearing, Lee noticed us.

"Hey, Nar-" He was cut off by Gai's kick to his face, sending him across the clearing. Konohamaru watched in amazement as Lee stood back up again, stumbling back over to us.

"Lee! Don't loose focus!" Gai scolded, then turned his attention to me. "Naru! Did you get you're registration all filled out?"

"Yeah, sensei." I said, mock saluting him, though he didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, who is this youthful young man?"

"Oh," I said, looking over to the little boy. "This is Konohamaru. I met him on the way here. Is it alright if he watches our training? I said I'd teach him to be a good ninja."

"Sure it's okay! It's great you are teaching a youth at such a youthful age!" Gai said, grinning dazzlingly.

"It's fine with me." Said Lee, grinning also.

I looked to Neji, who paused in his training to say, "Just don't get in my way."

I sighed, arrogant as ever. I smiled at the other two, the turned to Konohamaru.

"Okay, Kono, this is my sensei, Gai" I said, gesturing to the green clad man, "This is Lee," I pointed to Lee, "And that is Neji." pointing to the Hyuuga that was ignoring us all.

"Wow onee-chan! You're team is so cool!" he exclaimed, eyes wide in admiration.

I laughed. "Yeah, they're pretty cool."

I directed him to one of the training logs to sit on while I began training with the rest of my team. He watched us all raptly throughout all our training, commenting frequently on our 'coolness'.

After training I walked Konohamaru home, listening to him ramble on with amusement. I dropped him off at his house, then left to head to my home. Who knew I could make friends with a kid way younger than me?

* * *

(3 weeks later)

I spewed the milk I had in my mouth across the room. Ewww… It was spoiled. Gross. I sighed, throwing the milk carton into my trash can. I opened my cupboard, revealing empty shelves. I shook my head. All these D-rank missions were getting to me. When I became a genin, I no longer got an orphan allowance. Usually, D-rank missions would be enough for any normal genin to pay rent and have money left over for food and any other things needed. However, I was far from the normal genin. My rent was higher than the others in my building, payment for housing the 'demon brat'. I barely had enough for that, let along food, which was also a higher price.

I walked out of my house with my wallet, resigning myself to try and get some food before training. I made my way to the market in town, not very busy yet, as it was still pretty early in the morning.

I walked up to a nearby stall, which closed as soon as the owner saw me coming his way. I tried not to seem deterred, though I winced inwardly. I finally found a stand that didn't close at the sight of me. I looked at her products, doing my best to seem oblivious to her scowl. I picked up some instant ramen cups.

"How much for these?" I asked, showing them to her.

"1000 yen." She replied nastily. *

I winced at the price, but handed it over none the less. I took my ramen back to my house, placing the three containers in my cupboard. I sighed, walking out of my house on an empty stomach, since I didn't have time to eat before I was due for training.

When I got to our training grounds, I greeted the rest of my team with a wave, not really in the mood to say anything. They gave me curious looks before returning to their training. Well, Gai and Lee did, Neji just glanced at me emotionlessly. I approached one of the training stumps, and started punching it with my bare fists.

It was unfair how the village treated me. I punched the log harder.

Why couldn't they understand? I haven't done anything wrong.

I punched the log again, making a small dent this time.

Or was it I that didn't understand?

I made a larger dent.

No, I understood. I am not the Kyuubi.

I am not.

I am not.

I am not.

By now my fists were bleeding by the force of my blows. I felt the sting on my knuckles, but ignored it.

Not.

Not.

_Not._

_I am not the Kyuubi!_

A harsh crack sounded throughout the clearing, turning the rest of team Gai's attention to me. My bloodied fist was stuck in a large crack in the log I was beating up. I pulled it out slowly, ignoring the feel of my flesh scraping on the splinters.

"Naru," said Gai, walking up behind me with Lee and, surprisingly, Neji following after him. "Let me see."

He gestured to my hands. I lifted them up for him to see. He grabbed them gently, taking off my gloves carefully, before taking some gauze out of his ninja pouch. As he started wrapping them, I noticed Lee and Neji looking at the log I just demolished. I followed their gaze, seeing the dented, bloodied log that had a large crack in it.

Lee turned back to me, "Are you okay?" he asked softly.

I attempted a smile, and failed miserably. "I'll be fine, I was just thinking too much."

I knew he and Gai knew what I was thinking about by the way their eyes darkened.

I retracted my newly wrapped hands, letting them fall to my side. I started walking away, wanting nothing more than to be alone right now to regain my composure.

I paused, "Sensei, may I be excused from training today?"

He was silent for a moment, most likely debating letting me be alone for a while. "Yes," he said finally, "You are excused."

I continued to walk, wandering away aimlessly.

* * *

I looked up at the sky from the swing I sat at, swinging my legs. I ended up at the Academy grounds, for reasons I didn't know. The Academy was out today, so I didn't have to worry about any students seeing me.

I jumped when I felt someone place a hand on my shoulder. I turned my head to see Iruka standing above me. Darn, I didn't think anyone would be here.

"What are you doing here, Iruka-sensei? There's no school today."

"I came to do some left over paperwork." He said, "But why are you out here?"

I turned away, looking down at the ground. "I was thinking."

He kneeled beside me. "What about?"

I looked at him, then averted my eyes. I couldn't tell him. Or did he already know.

"Um…" I sighed, deciding to ask him, "Sensei, do you know what I am?"

I felt him freeze. "You mean…?"

"Yeah. That's what I was thinking about."

He was silent for a moment. "The villagers were getting to you, weren't they?"

I looked back over at him, seeing his eyes shining with sadness. "Yeah," I said, "Aren't you going to run away or shun me?"

Iruka sighed, closing his eyes. "No, you're you, not the demon. It's annoying how the villagers don't see the wonderful little girl before me."

"I can't help but be so relieved whenever people say that to me." I sighed out.

"Anyway, you shouldn't let them affect you." He said, opening his eyes again.

I looked away again, "I know, but some days they just get to me more than usual."

He took my hands in his, and I had to resist the urge to wince when he touched my cuts. "Look, Naru-"

"Iruka-sensei," I cut him off, "Not that I don't appreciate it, but can you let go of my hands, they hurt."

He looked down at them, forgetting about what he was going to say. He gasped when he saw my bandaged hands, looking back up at me.

"What did you do?"

"Heh, well, I kinda, maybe, sorta, punched a log until my hands were bloody and the log about cracked in half." I said, loosing my depressed demeanor slowly.

"YOU WHAT?!?!"

"I was letting out excess emotions. But I think I scared Gai and Lee."

He sighed, standing up. "Well, you can talk to them later. How about we go out for ramen, my treat."

I jumped up, returning to normal at the mention of my favorite food. I bounced off with Iruka, getting a good scolding about punching my fists until they bleed.

I would have to apologize to my team tomorrow.

* * *

*** (100 yen = about 1 US dollar) ***

**A.N.: I wanted to add some drama in there, besides; I wanted to strengthen Iruka and Naru's relationship, since I opted out the whole Mizuki's betrayal thing. Anyway, tell me what you think!**


	11. Mission to Rice!

**A.N.: *sigh* I'm really not motivated to write this chapter, but I'm doing so anyway. Anyway… This officially starts my C-MISSION ARK! It's kinda like the c-ranked mission in the Manga/anime, but this is my own design! It's, well, you'll just have to wait and see! XD**

* * *

My Protector

Chapter 9 – Mission to Rice!

A knocking at my door drew me out of checking over my knuckles. They were completely healed from yesterday's abuse, and it only took me a moment to figure out that it was because of the Kyuubi's chakra. I wandered over to my front door, opening it to reveal my best friend.

I invited him in silently, not knowing what to say. I knew he was still worried about me; heck, I'd be worried about anyone who almost punched their way through a log.

I turned to him awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot. I might as well just say it, I thought with a sigh. "Lee, I'm sorry about yesterday. I was just… venting feelings."

He nodded unsurely, opening his mouth to speak. "Are you okay now, though? Gai-sensei and I were worried about you after you left."

I smiled, glad they cared about me so much. "Yes, I'm fine. I just needed some time to myself is all."

He nodded again, more firmly this time. I was glad that he understood that there were some things I had to sort out on my own, and that I was absolutely fine now.

I grinned at him, linking my arm with his, and dragged him out the door. "Now, let's go find the rest of our team and get some more _wonderful_ D-rank missions, shall we?"

He grinned back at me, any uneasiness he had disappearing. We chattered on the way to our training grounds, eager for another day of training and missions.

* * *

_(1 Week Later)_

"Team Gai has arrived!"

The loud proclamation from my sensei alerted all within the vicinity that my team was here for missions. I followed the green clad man into the mission room with my teammates, sighing at his over-enthusiastic behavior.

All the chuunins looked at him strangely, while the Hokage just chuckled at him.

"Hello, Gai. And what type of mission would you like today?"

"A C mission today!" our sensei exclaimed, surprising us all.

"A C mission?" the aged Hokage asked, "Are you sure your team ready for that?"

"Yes! They have been genin for a while now, and I think their teamwork would benefit from a C-class mission."

The Hokage looked over us all, examining us carefully. I wasn't sure if we could do a C-rank mission, but by the looks on my teammate's faces, they thought they could. I took a deep breath, telling myself to have faith in my team. Besides, Gai wouldn't let us die or anything... I think.

"Alright," Jiji's voice interrupted my musings, "I have a simple escort mission here for them to do. You will escort a man from Rice back to his homeland with this cart of goods. Bring him in."

A side door opened to reveal a tall brown eyed man dressed in civilian clothes. He smiled kindly at us, looking over team Gai's faces.

"Are these young ninja going to be my escort? I'm honored to have such well prepared looking ninja accompanying me on my travels." He said politely. He seemed a nice enough guy.

I nodded at him, silently thanking him. "YOSH! We shall leave at midnight!" shouted Gai, striking a 'nice guy' pose. I sighed at my sensei again; it seems I do that a lot.

"Maybe we should ask _him_ when we're leaving, sensei." I said, gesturing to the client.

The man just smiled at us. "Dawn is fine."

I nodded again, "Right." Then asked, "And may we know your name?"

Hey, someone has to be the mature one in our group for now. Well, besides Neji, he'd probably just say something about 'fate' and then insult the client or us.

"Takishi. And may I know the names of my guides?"

"Well, I'm Uzamaki Naru." I said.

"Rock Lee!" Lee promptly filled in next.

"Hyuuga Neji," Neji said flatly.

"And I am their Jounin sensei, Maito Gai! Pleased to meet you on this most youthful occasion!" … Do you even have to ask?

Takishi nodded, "Well, I'll meet you at the gate at dawn tomorrow?"

"Yes sir." I responded, seeing Gai was still hung up about meeting at midnight.

Once I told Gai that 'dawn is a very youthful time of day' to get him to stop being weird about meeting at the dead of night, he said to us, "Yosh! You are right, Naru! Thank you for reminding me! Now, pack all your supplies and portable food for a week. I expect you to be at the gate in time to watch to beautifully youth-filled sunrise!"

I nodded to him, ignoring the part about the sunrise. My sensei is so weird.

I turned back to Takishi, "We'll see you then, sir."

I then left with my team, heading back to our houses to gather our supplies.

Maybe we are ready for this mission.

* * *

I jumped when someone knocked at my door. I put down the kunai I was currently packing to head to the door.

I opened it to find someone totally unexpected. Kakashi in all his masked glory stood in my doorway, reading his orange book. I blinked at him, confused as to why he was at my apartment. He looked up at me, lowering his book slightly. He then 'eye' smiled at me, lifting up a hand.

"Yo."

I blinked again. "Uh, hi?"

"Gai asked me to come here to teach you a new jutsu of my choosing. He said you looked anxious today when you were assigned a C-rank mission. He said if I taught you a new technique it might help."

I scratched the back of my head; was I really that obvious? Jeez. "Um, you don't have to…"

He shrugged. "Nah, it's okay. I don't really mind. You're a hard enough worker and you pretty much get concepts right away, so you're not all that hard to teach."

I smiled, grateful for the compliment. He turned around then, heading off in a random direction. I quickly followed after him, making sure to lock my door.

He brought me to the training ground that we trained in before, where he taught me the Kage Bunshin. I wondered what he'd teach me.

"Right," he said, turning to me, "First of all, I want you to pump your chakra into this. It will determine what technique I teach you." He held out a piece of thick paper, which I took into my hand.

I looked at him quizzically, wondering what the point of this was. Then I shrugged, figuring I'd find out. I pumped some of my chakra into the paper, watching as it took on a slight glow. Suddenly, it split in half, and the edges dampened slightly. I looked back up at Kakashi, wonder what the heck that meant.

"What you just pumped your chakra into was a special paper made out of trees that were grown with chakra, so the sheets are extra sensitive to people's chakra. What I had you do was an elemental affinity test. Basically, whatever happens to the paper determines what elemental affinity is most apparent in an individual." I nodded, understanding so far. I remember faintly talking about something like this in class. "So, your paper split in half, indicating that the wind element is strongest in you. However, you also have traces of water. That is extremely rare for any genin your age, but not impossible."

"Anyway, since your wind element is strongest, I'll teach you a wind style move, since it will be the easiest for you to learn." He put a hand to his chin, and for the first time I noticed that his book wasn't in sight. I waited patiently for him to decide, or at least somewhat patiently. Finally, he spoke up again.

"Ok, I'll teach you a C-rank jutsu, and then maybe when you get back from your mission I can teach you a higher level. Well, it's called Futon: Daitoppa. It basically is a huge gust of wind coming from the user, flattening almost everything in its path. Here, I'll show you."

He did some handseals, then shouted the name of the technique. I had to hold onto a nearby tree to avoid being blown away. It was a pretty cool technique, I had to admit. Once the jutsu ended, I stood up straight again.

He then proceeded to show me the handseals, Tiger – Ox – Dog – Rabbit – Snake.

By the time it was dark, I got the jutsu for the most part, though I have to practice it more to master it. I bid Kakashi goodbye, then headed to my apartment to finish packing and get some rest before tomorrow.

* * *

"Good morning my youthful students!" Our sensei yelled joyfully, walking up to where we all were waiting.

"Morning sensei," I said, yawning.

"Morning!" yelled Lee, chipper as ever, while Neji just glanced over at him.

Takishi waved at him, standing next to his cart. The oxen in front were shuffling about themselves.

"Okay, Team! The plan is to get Takishi to Rice safely, making sure he and his goods are safe from bandits." We all nodded in reply.

But as we set off sown the road, talking among ourselves, somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that things wouldn't go according to plan.

* * *

**A.N.: Hey all! I'm sorry for the shortness of this chapter, but I was trying to get it done before I have to leave for California today. Anyways, remember to review! Peace, yall!**


	12. B Ranked?

**A.N.: Holy Crap! It's the tenth chapter already! Thank you all for sticking with me through these chapters! Also, wow! I got a whole 11 reviews for last chapter! You guys are all so awesome!**

**BTW: **_**Stargazer**_**- Yes, Rice is where Orochimaru is, but remember, this is a year before the Manga/Anime timeline is, so he hasn't taken it over yet. But thanks for reminding me, I totally forgot! :3**

* * *

My Protector

Chapter 10 – B-Ranked?

I was positioned in the front of the cart, while Neji and Lee were on the sides and Gai was taking up the rear position. We all kept alert, watching the trees around us. It was relatively calm, the breeze blowing by us. I was still a bit nervous, even with my new jutsu. I had a weird feeling, like this mission wouldn't turn our quite like we thought.

I glanced behind me, making sure everyone else was still where they were positioned. Takishi was atop his cart, gently guiding his oxen. He looked completely relaxed. I turned back forward, only to glance back at him. His body was totally relaxed, but looking closer, I could see the underlying panic in his eyes. I slowed my pace some, coming up beside him.

"Anything wrong, Takishi-san?" I asked, bringing his attention to me.

His brown eyes surveyed me, shock apparent. "No, I'm fine."

I eyed him suspiciously, but nodded. It was his business anyway.

I walked back up further, leaving him alone. Why would he be distressed? It was just a simple escort mission; we would be more than enough to protect him from bandits. Or was he worried about something else?

I was interrupted by my thoughts by a shout of "Gai-sensei!" from Lee. I turned around quickly, my blond hair whipping my face. I turned in time to see my sensei get cut into pieces by two ninja, leaving behind only blood. I was shocked for a moment, but then recognized the nearby logs. He used a kawarimi, with perfect timing too. I shook myself out of those thoughts, needing to concentrate on our position.

"Well, that was easy." one of them said, sounding disappointed.

The other one just scoffed, disappearing in a flash. The first one disappeared too, leaving the four of us looking around confusedly. Gai-sensei still hasn't appeared, so I guess that he was going to wait it out.

A puff sounded behind me, making me whip around. One of the ninja stood there, bringing down a kunai towards my head. I froze up for a split second. In that split second, I had eliminated most of my options. I didn't have enough time for a kawarimi, as I wasn't as skilled at it as my teacher, and I didn't have enough time to get out a kunai to block. I also couldn't duck or roll, as I'd still get hit, either in the shoulder or back.

I did the only thing left for me. I raised my left arm, shielding myself from the oncoming weapon. I felt the kunai dig into my arm, pain zinging up it. I almost cried out, but restrained myself. I acted quickly, grabbing the man's wrist tightly. I faintly noticed Neji taking on the other man to the left of the cart. I kicked the ninja in front of me in the stomach, then twisted the wrist I held sharply. The result was making the ninja stumble back, holding his midsection.

"Dang brat!" he yelled, coming at me again, only this time just his fists. He drew his arm back, and I readied myself to fight, ignoring my injured arm.

His fist, however, was caught by another hand. Lee had put himself between the two of us, stopping the assault. I watched as the ninja tried to throw his other fist at Lee, only to have it, too, caught. Lee pulled down the crossed arms, sending a kick to the man's jaw. Before he could recover, Lee kicked him squarely on the cheek, sending him sideways into a tree.

I wanted to cheer for my friend, but my attention was brought to my sensei, who had re-appeared. Gai was firmly tying the disorientated ninja next to the other, who had been beaten up by Neji.

"Good work, team!" Gai yelled, turning back to us with a grin.

Lee and I grinned back at him, doing an identical 'victory' pose. Neji looked at us coldly, before turning to our sensei.

"I believe this was a C-ranked mission."

Gai's expression turned serious. We all looked back over at Takishi, who was sitting where he was, frozen. Gai walked over to him, the rest of us following close behind.

"Takishi-san," said Gai, snapping said man's attention to him, "Could you please explain why there were ninja's attacking on a C-ranked mission?"

Takishi sighed, hopping down from his cart. "I should've known this would happen…" he ran a hand through his hair, "I'm sorry for putting you and you're team in danger, but I had no other choice. You see, in the land of Rice, my fellow people are seeking power from a horrible source. There are scarce few of us who do not believe that we need power. We are being hunted down, though. Eliminated. Whoever does not join the rest of the people is killed. That is why I could not mark this mission as its due rank. Our secret hideout cannot be known by anyone, so I could not tell your leader about it."

I nodded at the explanation. It made sense. He continued, "I completely understand if you decide to head back to your village. It is completely my fault for involving you in this."

Gai tapped his chin thoughtfully. Then, he turned to us. "It is your choice whether we continue the mission or not. I will not think you un-youthful if you choose to go back."

We could go back? But… If we did I'd feel so _guilty_. We have the chance to help someone, why not use it? Despite my fears and lack of confidence, I spoke up.

"I say we continue."

Lee blinked at me, surprised by my sudden choice. "Are you sure?"

I nodded resolutely. He thought for a moment, then exclaimed, "If Naru thinks we can do it, I say we go!"

We both looked to Neji, who scoffed, turning his head away. I took that as a yes.

"Ok! We'll continue the mission!" I yelled. Takishi looked relived, a small smile on his face.

Gai lost his serious demeanor, jumping back in to his normal happy (a.k.a. creepy) mood. "Ok, I suggest we move out, and make camp nearby, as it is getting close to the sunset of youth."

We all nodded, dispersing to gather any supplies that we used in the fight. But, as I reached down to pick up a discarded kunai, I felt something sticky and wet drip down my fingers. Without looking, I could tell it was blood. I looked at my arm, seeing the nasty cut on it. It wasn't very deep, but it was long, and bleeding heavily. I had totally forgotten about it until now.

"Ouch." I said dumbly, alerting the members of my team.

"GYAAA!!!! You're bleeding!" Lee freaked out, waving his hands around. Gai looked at my arm, examining the wound. "Lee! It is unyouthful to panic so!"

He then turned to Takishi, "Do you happen to have some water on you?"

Takishi handed over a bottle of water silently, looking at my arm. Gai poured the water over it, making me hiss when it splashed into my cut. He then pulled out a roll of gauze from his pouch, wrapping my arm snugly.

"There, that should fix it right up." He said, grinning cheerily. I know that normally, a ninja with my wound would need medical attention, but I could feel Kyuubi already healing me.

Lee, however, was still freaking out. I sighed at my best friend. I bopped him on the head, making him face plant into the ground. He glared back up at me, picking himself off the ground.

"What was that for?!" he yelled, brushing himself off.

"Because you were being a spaz." I said straight-faced, sounding totally serious.

He gaped at me, and I couldn't hold my laughter. Ahhh, that was just too great.

He turned his back to me with a pout. "That wasn't very nice. I don't call you names."

I giggled, "Alright, alright, I'm sorry."

He jumped back around, grinning. "Okay!"

Whoa, Bi-Polar moment.

"We should get going; we need no find someplace to make camp." Gai announced.

I nodded, taking up my position. I sighed, rubbing my injured arm unconsciously.

This would be a long trip.

* * *

I sat at the fireside, watching Lee and Gai talk animatedly. I switched my gaze over to the other two people. Takishi was watching my sensei and teammate as I was, amusement shining in his eyes. Neji, however, was ignoring everything around him, managing to look arrogant and annoyed at the same time. I sighed inwardly at him.

Turning away from him, I wondered idly what to do. I didn't really want to join in my teammate's conversation.

I mused over the jutsu Kakashi taught me. It was mostly an offence move, but couldn't really be used around comrades. But what if I modify it? I looked at my palm. Instead of having the chakra used for the jutsu come out of my whole body, why not concentrate it?

I tried to concentrate my chakra to the middle of my hand. After a few moments, I saw a wisp of blue appear above my hand, then it disappeared. I grinned, encouraged at my small success. I turned around, facing a nearby tree. Now I have to put my theory to the test.

I quickly did the handsigns, making sure not to alert the members of my team and Takishi. I held my palm out, concentrating chakra to my hand like before.

"Futon: Daitoppa" I whispered.

A small gust of wind shot out of my hand, taking off some of the leaves on the tree. I blinked a few moments, before jumping up.

"Haha! It worked!"

The rest of the people there turned to me, blinking. "What did?"

I scratched the back of my head sheepishly, embarrassed in my outburst. "Heh, sorry. I was just testing a theory about the jutsu Kakashi taught me."

"Oh yeah." Gai said, "What did he teach you anyway?"

I sat back down, taping my chin thoughtfully. "Well, first of all he had me find out my elemental affinity. You know, with that chakra paper thing," He nodded, "Well, turns out it was Wind, and a little bit of water. But anyways, he taught me a wind jutsu, it's called Futon: Daitoppa."

"I see." He said, unusually thoughtful, "What was your theory?"

"Oh! Well, Daitoppa can't really be used when around comrades, since it really blows everything down in every direction, so I thought, why not concentrate it? I tried it, and it worked! Want to see?"

He nodded. I did the same thing as minutes before, only this time adding a bit more chakra so it was more powerful. Not so much it blew trees away, but just enough to seem impressive.

"Cool!" Lee yelled, while Gai's eyes brightened.

"That was great! And I have the perfect chakra control exercise to help you with your youthful technique! We can start on it tomorrow when we take a break. I'm sure Neji would benefit from it too." Gai yelled, turning to Neji at the end.

"Whatever." Neji scoffed, turning away.

Gai brushed it off, quickly getting distracted by the time. "Well, we should get to bed, as we have a youth-filled day ahead of us. Who wants to take the first watch?"

I raised my hand. Truthfully, I wasn't very tired. Besides, I rather stay up an extra few hours than be woken up and go back to sleep.

The order of watches was soon made up. I would wake up Gai around midnight, as that is the most probable time enemies would attack, and then he would wake up Neji, who would wake up Lee in the early hours of the morning.

As the rest of them went inside their tents, I sat down at the edge of the camp. I breathed in the fresh air, tainted only by the nearby smoke. I looked out into the dark woods and shivered. Well, crap. I totally forgot to bring any kind of jacket for these late night watches.

A blanket was draped over my shoulders, making me look around. The black haired boy behind me smiled.

"I thought you'd need it."

Lee turned back to his tent, crawling back inside. I couldn't suppress a smile at his actions, holding the cover closer.

At least I had Lee with me here. Otherwise, I knew I would be too scared to continue our mission.

* * *

**A.N.: Haha, sorry for the kinda cliché ending there. *sweatdrop* Anyways, I'm so excited about this ark! And it might, I'm not saying it will, but it might take me a bit longer to update, as the chapters are kinda complicated. (At least they are for me to write.) So, Thanks for all your reviews, and remember to review this chapter! :3**


	13. Tree Climbing

**A.N.: Yeah yeah, I know it's been two weeks since I updated. I'm soooooooory! I had so much schoolwork to do, it was crazy! And it doesn't help that I'm a horrible procrastinator! *Sigh* Anyways, Here's the next chapter, so read and review!**

* * *

My Protector

Chapter 11 – Tree Climbing

I was shaken awake gently, my eyes opening reluctantly. Right away, I saw the person who had awoken me.

"Gai-sensei sent me to get you up, we're going to be leaving soon," said Lee, sitting cross-legged beside me.

I yawned, stretching, and nodded. "What time is it?"

"About 6:30. You better hurry, sensei is already upset that you missed the 'sunrise of youth'," He grinned cheekily at the last part, while I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be out in a minute."

He flashed me one last grin before exiting my tent, leaving me to get ready. I brushed my hair out, tying it up into a messy ponytail. I pulled on my fishnet and tank top, seeing as I had slept in a t-shirt, and checked my pant pockets, making sure everything important was there. I placed my night clothes, sleep roll, and the rest of my stuff in an empty sealing scroll, then placed the scroll in an empty pocket.

I drew in a deep breath of the cool morning air as I stepped outside my tent. I saw Takishi, Neji, and Lee packing up before my view was blocked by a blur of green.

"Naru! You missed the youthful sunrise of youthfulness!" Gai shouted, waving his arms around furiously. I resigned myself to listening to his full rant about it, describing every detail to me. Why didn't he just wake me up if he was going to pout about me missing it? Sometimes I can never understand this man.

After he finished, I was dismissed to help pack up. After everything was packed up, we quickly got back to traveling. We had the same loose formation around the cart, though Lee and I switched spots.

I sighed inaudibly when I thought about this mission. Would I be strong enough? I hope so. I shifted my gaze to Lee, who was walking confidently in front of us. I wish I was that confident in myself.

I switched my gaze to Takishi, who was perched atop his cart like the day before. I mused over his explanation. He never really said who it was that was taking over Rice. I wonder if he even knows?

I came up beside him, speaking up softly. "Excuse me, Takishi-san?" He looked down at me and nodded curiously. "Um… Yesterday, when you were talking about your village, you never said who was taking over. I was wondering if you knew."

"Oh, I suppose I didn't say," He tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Well, I only know the name of the man who is hired to get rid of the rebellious. I don't know the name of the man who is taking over though. Gato, is the person who he hired, have you ever heard of him?"

I shook my head, wondering who he was. Takishi opened his mouth, but was cut off by my sensei's voice.

"Gato, you say? From Gato's Company? I've heard of him. He's supposed to be very rich, hiring tons of samurai and missing nins for his work. He's also been a top criminal for years." Gai said, coming up beside me.

Takishi nodded in confirmation. "He was hired by our new ruler. It's been very hard to avoid his samurai, but luckily, we haven't seen any missing nins yet."

We both nodded, thinking over this new information. I was glad no missing nins were spotted yet, though I knew not to rule out the possibility of coming across one. I looked over at my sensei, who was falling back to his previous spot. If we came across trouble, I know Gai-sensei can take care of it.

I continued to talk with Takishi, asking him about himself and his village, trying my best to distract myself from my fears.

* * *

"Ok, let's stop here," said Takishi, "This is the last descent spot for a quite few miles, and we can't reach them before dark."

It was only about 3:00 in the afternoon, but it was better to stop now than have to set up in the dark. I helped Takishi tend to the cattle as the other boys set up camp, helping him tie them to a nearby tree and unhooking them from each other.

I rolled my shoulders, looking around the camp for something to do. Unfortunately, everything was already set up. I sat down on a nearby log, watching Gai struggle with his scroll comically. I rolled my eyes at his antics; it seems I do a lot of that also around Gai.

"Okay Team!" Gai yelled, "Neji, Naru, I will show you both that chakra control exercise, then I will show you some new moves to practice, Lee!"

Oh, I totally forgot about that. We all followed our sensei into the nearby woods, waiting patiently for our instruction.

"Okay! You both know about chakra, right?" he asked, directing the question at Neji and I. At our nods he continued, "Good, now, to be able to use your chakra easier, I'm going to have you do an exercise."

We waited for him to continue, but he seemed satisfied to just grin dazzlingly at us. I sighed, prompting him to continue, "And what exercise is that, sensei?"

"Oh, it's the youthful TREE CLIMBING EXERCISE!" he yelled dramatically.

I sweatdropped at him, exasperated in my teacher. "Tree climbing?"

"Yes!" he said, climbing up a nearby tree himself… without hands. I gaped at him, watching the green clad nin walk straight up the tree. "This is what you have to do!"

"How do you do it?" Neji asked blandly, looking slightly annoyed with Gai's lack of explanation.

"You just have to coat the bottoms of your feet with chakra! But, too much, you'll fly right off, and too little, you won't stick!"

We both nodded, watching him walk back down. He grinned, making his teeth sparkle. "I suggest getting a running start."

Neji nodded, turning immediately to a nearby tree. Gai started to take Lee a little ways over, so he could teach him and watch us at the same time. Lee looked a little disheartened that he couldn't learn how to climb up trees, but perked up a bit when Gai started teaching him a new taijutsu move.

I looked at Neji, who was already running up a tree. He got about six steps before his foot sunk a little into the tree, making him flip backwards, landing on the ground gracefully.

I turned to the nearest tree, already trying to concentrate a layer of chakra to my feet. I ran at the tree, stepping up carefully. I made it up a few steps before my foot made a dent in the tree, similar to what happened to Neji. I frowned. Hmm… I guess I'm using too much chakra. I adjusted it slightly, trying my best to put a smaller amount of chakra on the soles of my feet.

I tried again, this time getting a few more steps up before flying off again. I glanced at Neji, seeing him climb up a little bit higher. A spark of some emotion came to light when I saw he was higher up than me. Was it… Rivalry? I brushed it off, staring determinedly back at the tree, and started climbing again.

I _can_ do this.

* * *

I huffed tiredly, taking a momentary breather before running back at the tree. It was almost sunset now, and Neji and I were still at it. Over the last few hours, my determination to do better than the prodigy grew, making me try harder each run. I wasn't exactly sure _why_ I wanted to beat him so much. Was it because I knew he thought he was better than me? Or was it how mean he was to Lee sometimes?

I shook my head, momentarily forgetting I was running up the side of a tree. I fell off, falling back to the ground below. I landed almost cat-like, my feet touching down, then my hands. I wiped the sweat from my forehead, brushing my golden bangs away.

Before I could run back up, Takishi called us from camp, "Dinners ready!"

I sighed, walking back with the rest of my team. I've only gotten about halfway up the tree, and though that is pretty good, I couldn't help but be a little disappointed in myself. I sat down tiredly on a log by the fire, re-putting my hair up. I accepted the bowl of rice Takishi handed to me with a nod and smile, digging in hungrily.

I chatted with Takishi through diner, learning more about his life. At first, I was afraid he would be annoyed with me for asking so many questions, but he seemed happy enough to answer them. He told me about his small family, his wife and four year old son, and his previous business. He was actually a leather smith before Rice was taken over, so I asked him many questions about that too. He seemed to enjoy my enthusiasm, and I sure enjoyed learning about him. He really was a nice guy.

Before long, it was dark, and everyone was heading to bed. I took the first watch again, despite my sore muscles.

* * *

My feet thudded on the hard ground from my place on the side of the cart. We were back on the way to their hideout, only a few miles away, if what Takishi says is accurate. We hadn't encountered any samurai yet, though it was getting me anxious.

We should've met at least bandits by now, but the road has been unnervingly clear.

I glanced back at my sensei, noticing that he kept a little closer to the cart than he had been previously. I turned my gaze back foreword, only to glance to my other side when I spotted movement in the shrubbery.

I blocked the sudden barrage of kunai with my own, easily deflecting all of them. I hear a similar sound from the other side of the wagon, and I know Neji deflected a similar attack to mine.

I turned my attention foreword when a streak of green flew past me, recognizing it as my sensei. I automatically shift into a defensive stance when I saw a shadowy figure before us.

"Heh, you guys are okay so far… For a bunch of brats."

I watched my sensei take up a defensive stance in front of Lee, watching the obvious ninja warily.

Here we go.

* * *

**A.N.: Whoo! Here we go! Sorry for the shortness, but I was in a rush to finish it. Please review and all that stuff! See you next time! Until then, STAY YOUTHFUL!!!! :3**


	14. Kaoru Yoshiro

**A.N.: I know, I know! It's been like 4 weeks since I updated! I apologize! This was difficult to write, as I wasn't exactly sure what the finer details about this Ark would be. That and I had a bunch of schoolwork to do and I went back to edit some of the last chapters. Nothing drastic, just fixing spelling mistakes and such. Well, anyways, ONWARD!**

* * *

My Protector

Chapter 12 – Kaoru

"Lee, Naru, Neji. Protect Takishi," said our sensei in a sharp voice.

We nodded, moving closer to our client. I watched the man in front of us carefully, taking in everything about him. He had a cloud headband around his neck, though the symbol had a harsh line cut through it. I narrowed my eyes. He's a missing nin. I flipped through my memories, trying to recognize him from one of the bingo books I've read. Red hair, black eyes, missing nin from cloud… I resisted the urge to stomp my foot in frustration. I remember seeing him; I just can't remember his name or rank.

"Ho-ho," the man said suddenly, "You can't be Maito Gai, can you? You don't look all that dangerous! My bingo book says to keep away from you, but it must be misrecorded."

I ground my teeth at the insult to my sensei. I knew full well that Gai was much stronger than he appeared, having trained with him for two months. I held my tongue though, knowing Gai wanted the element of surprise.

"Yes, well, I believe I recognize you also. Are you not the former Genjutsu expert of Cloud, Yoshiro Kaoru?" replied my sensei in a pleasant voice, contrast to his wary appearance.

The man, now known as Kaoru, grinned. "Why yes! That is me! How wonderful of you to recognize me!"

My eyes widened at the name. Yoshiro Kaoru, S-Class missing nin from cloud. Specializes in Genjutsu. It would be a hard match for Gai, as he specializes in Taijutsu, which is generally weak to Genjutsu, unless the person is properly trained to handle Genjutsu styled opponents.

"Now, if you will, please hand over the man behind you and I will leave you and your brats alone." Kaoru said pleasantly, though I could clearly hear the underlying threat in his voice.

"Sorry, but I cannot oblige to your request." Gai said without a moment's hesitation.

Kaoru smirked, shifting into a more ready stance. "I see. Well, I guess you leave me no other choice."

Gai jumped into action, leaving Kaoru no chance to attack first. He was just a green blur to us, moving towards Kaoru with a fist drawn back. Kaoru barely sidestepped the punch aimed at his face, stunned momentarily by Gai's speed.

The red haired man shook his head back and forth for a moment, not unlike a dog would. He regained his focus just in time to dodge another attack from my sensei.

I watched with baited breath as Kaoru and my sensei joined in a fierce dance of Taijutsu, Gai obviously with the upper hand. Kaoru had an annoyed expression on his face, most likely because he didn't have enough time to use any jutsu.

Then, I noticed the slightest falter in Gai's footing. That one moment was enough for Kaoru to make an odd swishing motion with his hand.

My head snapped to the side when I saw movement on the edge of my vision, Gai and Lee's gaze doing likewise. A blur of kunai came out of seemingly no-where, heading straight for my surprised sensei.

I took an involuntary when I saw the sharp weapons coming towards Gai, scared for him despite myself. I stopped myself from running forward, however, reminding myself thoroughly that he was a Jounin and he could handle the situation better without me and my teammates getting in the way.

True to my thoughts, Gai avoided the weapons easily, even as Kaoru made the same motion again, though the barrage of kunai came from the opposite side. I watched as Kaoru tried this one more time with no different results. Gai stopped dodging, sparing the surrounding brush a glance before returning his attention to the red headed man.

"You know, I kinda underestimated you, Maito." Kaoru said.

"What was that? Some kind of trap?" Gai asked, ignoring Kaoru's statement,

ready to dodge again should he needed to.

"Hum… You ask as if I would tell you." Kaoru said, putting a hand to his chin, "But I guess I could tell you, as I am rather proud of my ability."

He made another swishing motion, though more of a pull then the way he moved his hand before. I looked to the trees as a brown haired boy about my age with a blank expression came out. I jumped slightly at his appearance, surprised.

He had unruly dark brown hair, reminding me distinctively of Kiba. His vibrant green eyes stood out against his fair complexion, though the blank look in those eyes offset the effect completely. He had blue dots tattooed on his face, almost like tear tracks, one on his cheekbone, one directly in the middle of his cheek and the last nearing his jaw on both sides. He was dressed in a simple T-shirt and shorts, though they weren't in the best condition. There were multiple rips in his clothing and I could tell he hadn't had a shower or bath in a while.

"It wasn't a trap. Though not many people know, since my defection from Cloud, I took up the art of mind-control and puppets. Putting those two together, I came up with the perfect human puppet!" Kaoru said, "Genius isn't it?"

"No it is not!" Lee burst out, unable to control himself, "That is just sick! How can you be so cruel! Making him fight for you against his will! How mmmhhhff-"

Gai put a hand over his mouth, stopping my friends rant. I agreed with Lee, but only barely kept myself from shouting along with him. I contented myself with glaring icily at the man instead, drawing his gaze to me momentarily.

"Although I agree that it is very much cruel and sick," Gai started, removing his hand from over Lee's mouth, "Now is not the time to be angry about Yoshiro's methods."

I could tell that Gai wanted to yell as much as Lee and I by the look on his face, but controlled himself, if only just.

"Oh? You disapprove of my ninja techniques? I can't say it matters to me, Akio here is just another tool." Kaoru said, putting a hand on the boys shoulder.

"A TOOL!? How dare you!" I yelled, unable to control myself any longer, "He's a human being!"

Kaoru laughed, looking at me with amused eyes, "And what are you, little girl? All ninja's are tools anyways. There's nothing you can do about it."

I open my mouth to reply, but close it when nothing comes out. What he said was true, no matter how much I despise it.

"Enough of this chatter," he said after I closed my mouth again, "I am growing bored of this; let us resume our fight, Maito."

Gai nodded, waiting for his opponent to make the first move this time. Kaoru flicked his wrist, making Akio retreat back into the shrubbery. He started flying through handseals before calling out:

"Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu!"*

He then made a familiar swishing motion with his hand, causing kunai to come from the trees like before. However, the kunai were not like before. Instead, they were twisting and turning, making then hard to track where they would end up.

I saw Gai's eyes widen before he jumped out of the way as best he could. Despite his efforts, he ended up with a bleeding cut on his right shoulder, though he ignored it to dodge the next barrage of weapons.

I watched helplessly as my teacher barely got out of the way of the sharp projectiles each time they were thrown. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kaoru going through some handseals, before disappearing.

The continuous hordes of kunai suddenly stopped, making the green clad nin look around warily for the next attack.

"Genjutsu Shibari!"*

My teacher froze up; his muscles locking in place visibly. Kaoru re-appeared, along with his human puppet. Kaoru snapped his fingers, making Akio walk up to Gai. The brown haired boy quickly took out a kunai, pointing the tip to Gai's throat.

My eyes widened in silent horror when Kaoru turned to us. Gai-sensei was caught, and by the looks of it couldn't move at all. Even if he could, he was cornered by the kunai held to his throat.

"I could order him to kill you now, Maito. But what fun would that be? Since you seem to care so much for these brats, I'll kill them first. How's that sound?" Kaoru sneered, walking closer to the wagon.

Gai's black eyes flashed dangerously, though his locked jaw could not move to speak. I could see the slightest tint of fear in his rage filled eyes.

"Akio, you can watch too." Kaoru said, making another hand movement. Akio turned around so he was facing us, though his kunai was still pointed at Gai's neck.

I hesitantly walked up to stand beside Lee. I mentally steeled myself, searching my mind for some kind of plan. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Neji walk up on Lee's other side.

"Ooooh! Don't you two boys look confident!" the redheaded man jeered, all former politeness gone "And what about you, girly? I can tell by looking at you that you're the weakest of your team."

I ignored the jab at me; though I saw Lee's fists tighten angrily. I put a hand on his shoulder, trying to make him keep a cool head. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye, then nodded tersely.

I racked my brain for a plan as Kaoru continued to jeer at us, slowly drawing closer. I had only a few jutsu at my disposal, and Lee and Neji's styles were mostly - if not all - Taijutsu. I also knew that I didn't know how to throw off a Genjutsu, they didn't affect Lee at all except maybe high level, and Neji could probably throw off a low level one himself.

I glanced behind me quickly to Takishi. We needed to get him somewhere safer, or at least out of the way.

A plan slowly started forming in my mind. It was risky and most likely not going to work, but a plan none the less.

"Guys," I said in a low voice, just loud enough for them to hear me, "I need you both to distract him for me. I'm going to make some shadow clones and get Takishi away from here. After he's out of range, both of you grab onto something. I'm going to try my best to break his concentration so Gai-sensei can move again."

They both looked over at me for a moment. Lee nodded, confident in my abilities. Neji just 'hn'ed, though he inclined his head slightly, approving despite himself.

"Oh? Have a plan do you?" Kaoru asked, "Well, let's go at it, shall we?"

I nodded to Neji and Lee, signaling them to go into action. They jumped forward, ready to battle.

I watched as they both worked to attack the missing nin. They actually worked pretty well together, though I could tell that Neji tried his best to work by himself. I stood waiting, making sure Kaoru was thoroughly distracted before jumping into action myself.

I flew through the familiar handsigns, making sure the red haired man didn't notice me at all.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu" I muttered quietly.

Three shadow clones popped soundlessly into existence, waiting for orders. I had one transformed into Takishi, making its way to the cart. I inched over to the real Takishi, whispering lowly.

"These to bunshin are going to take you a little ways away. You'll be safer with them until the battles over." I handed him one of my extra headsets, "If anything happens, call me through this headset. We'll come get you soon otherwise."

He looked hesitant, but at my serious voice, he nodded. He took the headset, placing it on his head carefully.

"Quickly, go." I said, putting on my own headset. He quietly climbed down his cart, being replaced by my henged clone. He glanced at the quickly losing battle before starting to walk off with my clones. I flashed him a quick smile when he looked back again, then watched as he disappeared into the forest.

I turned back around to see my teammates trying their best to keep up with the man, but still losing steadily. I looked over at my teacher, seeing him glancing between the ongoing battle and me.

I tapped my temple when I had his gaze, indicating I had a plan. I then pointed to my feet, gathering some chakra there so they turned a faint blue on the bottoms. He moved his eyes up and down, indicating a nod, gathering chakra to his own feet so they stuck to the ground.

I stepped forward, preparing myself. I started going through handseals, getting ready to use my newest jutsu.

"Now!" I shouted, right before I finished my last handseal.

Lee and Neji jumped back, grabbing onto a tree firmly. I put my palm out towards the confused Kaoru, charging as much chakra as I could there.

"Futon: Daitoppa!"*

A huge gust of swirling wind shot out of the center of my palm, straight at the off balance nin. Some wisps of air flew off course, blowing against Lee, Neji and Gai, though they weren't as strong. Kaoru slid back a few feet, barely missing hitting a tree. I noticed vaguely that my sensei had unfrozen and was disarming a surprisingly willing Akio.

I released the jutsu when my control wavered, panting heavily. Kaoru was covered in cuts and already forming bruises from flying debris. He started walking towards my tired form, murder in his eyes.

"You little brat!" he yelled, drawing his hand back to slap me, "How dare you make such a fool out of me-"

He brought his hand towards me, intent on hitting me. I closed my eyes, ready for the blow.

I reopened them when it never came. A hand the size of my own had caught his wrist. I followed the arm to a face, though it was not the one I expected.

Akio stood there, glaring harshly at Kaoru, his eyes no longer hazy.

"_Don't touch her_." He almost growled.

"You broke out of my jutsu, did you?" Kaoru growled back, focused on the boy.

Akio didn't answer. He instead brought out a hidden kunai, jamming it quickly into Kaoru's stomach.

Blood spurt out of the new wound and Kaoru's mouth, spraying Akio and I with the red liquid. Akio released the nin's wrist, letting him stumble back.

Kaoru wiped the blood from his mouth, chuckling lowly.

"Well, I can see I don't have a chance at the moment. I'll meet up with you guys later, and I wont hold back next time we meet."

Before anyone could stop him, he disappeared in a swirl of color. I sighed.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, making me turn my gaze to the boy next to me. His green eyes were focused on me, shining with life, but also exhaustion.

"… Thanks…" he whispered, his eyelids dropping.

I quickly caught his light frame when he collapsed. I heard my teammates coming closer, ready to help me. I pushed a button on my headset, clearing my throat before saying:

"Naru to Takishi, do you read me?"

* * *

*** Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique**

*** Genjutsu Binding**

*** Wind style: Great Breakthrough**

* * *

**A.N.: So? What do 'yall think? It's my first full our battle scene, so I'm not really sure about it… Was it worth the wait? I'll get the next chapter up soon! Please review! X3**


	15. His Situation

**A.N.: Hey all! Sorry, it's been like ANOTHER 3 weeks (4 weeks?) since my last update. Life is hectic… Well, before I forget, I just wanted to ask you all to check my profile for any new Polls I might put on there. I have one on there at the moment, and only three people have voted! :'( Ah, well. Hope you enjoy the newest chapter! **

* * *

My Protector

Chapter 13 – His … Situation

I stared blankly into the fire from where I sat for my watch. I flicked my gaze quickly to the brown haired boy passed out on an extra bedroll to my right before returning my gaze to the mesmerizing fire. It was early in the morning at the moment, the sky already lightening from the close approaching sunlight, though not close enough to the sunrise for my sensei and teammates to wake up. For once I took the last watch instead of the first, mostly because I practically collapsed when we got camp set up after the battle yesterday.

When we got Takishi back with us yesterday, we traveled a mile or so more before setting up camp. We soon set up the order of watches, and then I collapsed into my bedroll, not waiting to eat anything. Using that jutsu yesterday super powered with so much chakra exhausted me, as I wasn't used to using that much chakra at one time.

I glanced over at Akio again; making sure his breathing was still stable, as I was instructed by my sensei. I was sure he was just very tired though, and he would wake up soon. We decided against putting him in a tent because Gai thought it was best to keep an eye on him until we knew more about him, but Lee and I already trusted him somewhat. He _did _save me from getting hit.

A few minutes later, when I looked over at him once again, I saw his eyes slowly creaking open. I jumped up from my seat on a log, rushing over to him quickly and silently.

I crouched beside him as he blinked his eyes open. His eyes immediately jumped to me, his hand reaching for his kunai pouch.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." I whispered, trying to keep him from drawing a weapon, "I promise, I will not attack you."

He watched me warily for a few moments, slight recognition lighting up his eyes. He must have recognized me from the day before.

"You're that girl" he whispered hoarsely, "From yesterday."

I nodded, watching him sit up.

"How are you feeling?" I asked when he didn't say anything more.

He looked back to me, as his eyes had been straying around the camp, with a startled expression. I could tell clearly that he wasn't expecting me to ask after his welfare.

"I-I… um, fine, I guess." He coughed once, clearing his throat.

I nodded again, standing up from my crouched position. I stuck out my hand to him, offering him help up. He hesitated for a moment, then grabbed my hand.

I pulled him to his feet, teetering slightly with his weight. I sat down by the fire again, gesturing him to an empty spot not far away from mine. As he sat, I searched through my bag for my water bottle. Once I found it, I held it out to Akio, who looked bemusedly at it.

I sighed, "Drink it. By the sound of your voice, you're thirsty."

He took it, but didn't unscrew the cap. "How do I know this doesn't have poison in it?"

I gave a short laugh, "You saved my life. It'd be a poor way to repay you if I poisoned you. Besides, you were unconscious for hours; we could've killed you while you were asleep."

"Oh." He said, unscrewing the cap after my explanation.

I waited patiently while he drank. Well, not so patiently. I was anxious to ask him questions while the others were still asleep.

"Why _didn't_ you kill me then?" he asked after he finished drinking.

"I just said that you saved my life. That's reason enough for us to spare your life." I said, "Besides, us Leaf-nin aren't cold-blooded killers. We knew you were being controlled by Yoshiro, so we aren't going to take action until we know your story."

He flinched when I mentioned Kaoru. It was clearly a sore subject.

"You don't have to tell me or my team anything if you don't want to." I added quickly, "But we would like to know about your situation so we can handle _our_ situation better."

He sighed. "You freed me from the mind prison I was in because of that man. That wind jutsu you used broke his concentration for a split second, enough for me to break free. I guess the least I can do is tell you my story.

"I was orphaned at age six. I don't remember my clan name, but I know they were wiped out. All except me, that is. I wandered around for about a month on my own, barely able to find enough food for myself. I was lucky I didn't run into any rabid animals or anything, seeing as I was only six ay the time."

He paused for a moment, a far away look in his eyes. "Then, that crazy man found me. At the time, I thought he was just a nice man there to help me. He was already a missing Nin at the time, and I was just an innocent six year old. He took care of me. He was always experimenting with his jutsu and puppets, often telling me about his dream of the 'perfect tool'. I didn't think anything of it, until I was about nine years old.

"He started training me then. Only teaching me jutsu. When I asked him why, he merely said that it was all I would need, and that he would take care of the rest. I didn't understand until I turned ten.

"He perfected his 'mind-puppet' jutsu by then. He told me that I would be his puppet. I was horrified, finally realizing that I was going to be used for his killing."

He sucked in a sharp breath, struggling with himself. I bit my lip, trying to keep myself from crying out in anger or sadness. I couldn't really tell which.

"I- there was nothing I could do. Day in and day out, I was under his control. For the last year I had been helping him with his murders and thievery. No chance came for me to escape.

"Until yesterday, I mean" he said, returning his gaze to me.

I stood up and started pacing. How dare that man! Taking advantage of a child! I clenched and unclenched my fists, practically fuming. Akio watched me pace, his face betraying nothing.

I sat back down with a sigh. I looked over to the green eyed boy, who had a pained, but guarded expression on.

"I can see that that man has caused you a lot of trouble. I understand that your situation wasn't the best of which. On behalf of my team, I offer a place with us until we can get back to Konoha. We have to finish our mission, but you can travel with us and we can take you back to the Leaf. I'm positive our Hokage would not turn you away, and you can be a free person there, whether you want to be a ninja or civilian. So, what do you say?"

I watched as his eyes widened considerably, staring at me disbelievingly. He stuttered incoherently for a few moments, trying to form a clear sentence.

"Really?" he finally whispered, his voice as disbelieving as his expression, "You'd let me come with you?"

"Of course." I said confidently, "And I'm positive my teammates will have no objection." _except maybe Neji, _I added silently.

A large smile lit up his face, and I couldn't help grinning back. He looked positively ecstatic. I guessed the prospect of not having to travel alone again or go back to that madman would be enough to make him happy.

"So tell me about yourself and your teammates then." He said after a moment, "I don't even know your name."

"Oh, sorry. I'm Uzamaki Naru! Nice to meet you!" I grinned cheekily.

He smiled back. "I'm Akio, but you already knew my name, right?"

"Yeah, but now we've been properly introduced."

"I see. And what about your teammates? What are their names?"

"Well" I said, glad to have lighter conversation. "The black haired boy is Rock Lee. He's my best friend and very hyper. He's hard to keep up with at times, but I get like that too. Then there's my sensei, Maito Gai. He's- err… a bit exuberant sometimes. Don't let his colorful personality deter you though, he's a good teacher. But don't ever, and I mean _ever_, say he's unyouthful. You'll find yourself six feet under." I looked at him seriously, but my mouth kept twitching into a smile.

"Err… okay." He replied, looking a bit unsure. "And what about your other teammate, the one with the ponytail?"

I leaned back, seeing the sunrise ready to peak over the treetops. "That's Neji. Hyuuga Neji. He's a bit antisocial. He doesn't talk much, but when he does it's usually an insult or something about 'fate'. I wouldn't recommend getting on his bad side."

Before I could say any more, a green blur flew past up, running towards a nearby hill. The sun peaked over the hill, showing a dramatic silhouette of my sensei.

… And it was all ruined when he stuck his arms in the air and yelled out:

"AHHH, THE YOUTH!!!!!"

I looked over at Akio. He had a stunned expression on his face, blinking stupidly at Gai.

Blink.

Blink. Blink.

He turned back to me with his bemused gaze.

"I see what you meant now."

I laughed, smiling happily. Takishi came out of his tent drowsily, stumbling upright, rubbing at his eyes.

"Wha-" he was cut off with a yawn, "What's going on?"

"We're just all waking up." Lee said, climbing out of the tent he shared with Neji, already looking as wide awake as Gai.

Neji climbed out of the tent after him, his pupil-less eyes snapping to Akio. Lee noticed him at the same time, and cheerfully bounced over to him.

"Hey! You're awake! How are you feeling? Are you thirsty? You were talking to Naru this morning, right? What did she say? I bet she wants you to come with us. I do too. After all, you kept Naru from getting hit. Say, did you…" Lee started to ramble on to the bemused and slightly amused Akio. He caught my eye, and I winked at him, mouthing 'I'll be back' quickly before heading in the direction of my sensei.

I walked up to Gai, rolling my eyes at the anime tears sliding down his face like rivers. He turned to me when he sensed my approach, sobering up slightly… or at least so much he wasn't crying, but a grin was firmly placed on his face.

"Good morning, Naru! How are you this youthful day?"

"Well enough, sensei." I replied, wanting to get straight to the point before he launched into a pointless tirade.

"There is something you wish to tell me. What is it?" Gai asked curiously, picking up on my mood.

"I talked with Akio this morning."

"Oh." He replied dumbly, blinking at me, "What did he say?"

I sighed, "I'll tell you, but I don't want you to tell Lee and Neji or anyone else. It's Akio's story and I'm only telling you because I know you need to know."

He nodded at the serious statement, fully at attention now. I was reluctant to tell my sensei what Akio told me, as I knew what it was like to have a hard childhood. But I trusted my sensei not to tell anyone unless necessary. That and he needed to know Akio's story for us to carry out our mission more effectively and find out what to do with the boy.

I took a deep breath and recounted Akio's story to Gai, my hands fisting again when I told of how the brown haired boy was used. I could see Gai's face tighten in anger while I spoke.

We stood in silence after I finished speaking, letting him digest the information. I stuffed my fists into my pants pockets just to do something while I waited. His face gradually relaxed, and his shoulders became less tense.

"And what did you say to him?" he asked finally.

"I told him he could come with us back to Leaf. I knew you and Lee wouldn't have any problem with it, and I know Jiji would let him stay." I said, smiling.

He grinned, the entire depressing aura vanishing. "YOSH! What a youthful response! Just what I was thinking!"

I grinned at his response.

"NARU! SENSEI! What are you doing?!" Lee yelled from the camp, waving his arms at us, "We need to pack up!"

"RIGHT-O, LEE!" Gai yelled, waving back. He rushed down the hill the help pack up, leaving me to shake my head in exasperation.

When I made my way back to the campsite, I spotted Akio standing awkwardly to the side, unsure of what to do. He caught my eye, and I gestured him over to me.

"I told my sensei of your situation," I said in a low voice when he stood beside me. I saw his muscles tighten almost imperceptibly.

"He's not going to tell my teammates about it or anyone else unless absolutely necessary. He agrees with my decision on having you join us to the Hidden Leaf."

He relaxed; relief visible on his face. He smiled happily at me, his left eye closing in a sort of wink; though I knew it was reflexive by the way he did it. I smiled too, but we were soon called to work by a nearby spandex-wearing man.

While we packed up, I asked Akio questions, like 'how old are you?' and 'when's your birthday?'. It turns out, he was 11 like me, and his birthday was July 14, making him a few months younger than me. I kept asking him random questions, getting some in return.

Later, Gai asked Takishi's, Neji's and Lee's permission to have Akio come with us on our mission and back to Leaf. Lee and Takishi agreed readily, not asking any questions. Neji, however, looked annoyed at the amount of information.

"How do we know if we can trust him?" He asked, his eyes narrowed.

"You will have to be satisfied with the fact that Naru and I trust him, as it is his story to tell. We find him trustworthy, and if he wishes to tell you about it, he can." Gai said seriously, looking at his student.

Neji glared at him for a few moments, then nodded curtly and turned away. He shot me a pointed stare, clearly showing his anger. I almost flinched back at the heat in it, but refrained from doing so.

What, did Neji despise me even more now? He usually didn't send me glares or pointed remarks like he did to Lee, but I knew there was underlying… something. Annoyance, maybe? Whatever it was, it was coming to the surface quickly.

I walked into my position, ignoring the glare still directed at me. Akio hopped onto the cart next to Takishi, having been told to stay there by Gai.

I sighed and started walking. I was starting to worry about when Kaoru would try to attack again. I pushed it to the back of my mind until I could ponder it another time.

Or at least tried to.

* * *

"There it is!" Takishi yelled, bringing me out of observing my surroundings.

I looked forward, and had to search some before I saw what caught Takishi's attention. A well disguised base was about a quarter of a mile ahead of us, looking very much like a tree.

"YOSH!" Yelled Gai enthusiastically, "Let us go inside and meet your allies!"

I laughed at his antics, but made to follow him in none the less. I walked beside Lee, listening as he chattered to me about who-knows-what. He linked his arm through mine as we walked the remaining distance. I had tried -and failed- not to think about what would be to come, and I knew Lee could tell. He paused in his chatter to give me an encouraging smile. I smiled back, but couldn't say anything due to our entrance into the base.

"Hey everybody!" Takishi yelled, getting the attention of some of the people sitting inside. Heads turned towards us curiously, several faces lighting up in grins.

"Takishi! You're back! I was wondering when you'd arrive." A large, burly man said cheerfully, clapping Takishi on the back.

"Yes, yes, I am finally back, Sora." Takishi said to the man now dubbed 'Sora'.

"Good, good." the man mumbled, his attention now on my team and Akio. Gai strode forward, sticking his hand out to Sora with a sparkling grin.

"Hello, my dear fellow! I am Maito Gai!" He said, waiting for Sora to take his hand.

The other man took it hesitantly. "Narita Sora."

"This is the Genin team that escorted me here. They know all about what's going on." Takishi filled in at Sora's confused look.

"T-they do?" Sora said, eyes widening. "And they stayed?"

I spoke up. "Of course, Narita-san. We couldn't leave you and the rest of the refugees on your own. We have to make sure you guys can at least live safely."

"I-I… Thank you, young lady." He finally said after stuttering for a few moments. His eyes radiated gratitude. "And what might be your name?"

"Uzamaki Naru, sir."

"Naru, eh? Nice name." I smiled at the compliment. "And what about the rest of you?"

"Rock Lee, sir!" Lee saluted.

"Hyuuga Neji."

"Um, Akio"

He smiled at all of us. By now a small crowd of people had gathered around us, hearing our introductions. A few of them smiled kindly at us, while others were watching cautiously.

"Right! Mind as well introduce everyone here, seeing as you'll be staying with us for a bit." Takishi said.

"Alright here's Aki, and Akane, they're twins, and then there's Kuro, he's our blacksmith, and then there's…."

* * *

**A.N.: Yes! Finished! It took me forever to write this chapter! Ok, so, I don't really have anything more to say besides: REVIEW PLEASE! I really enjoy all your guy's reviews, no matter how short they are. I'm getting really close to 100 reviews, so please help me to get there by taking like 30 seconds on reviewing! See you next time! :3**


	16. Turning Point

**A.N.: OMG! OMG! OMG! I GOT 100 REVIEWS! YAY! *Confetti rains from the sky* WHOOOOO! I just want to give a big thanks to everyone who reviewed! It really means a lot to me! I just want you to know, that I **_**do**_** read **_**all**_** your reviews, and each of them hold a special place in my heart!**

My Protector

Chapter 14 – Turning Point

I yawned widely, then shook my head, trying to reduce my weariness. I grimaced at my steadily dirtying hair when it brushed up against my back. I'd left it down this morning, or at least until Gai made us go train, then I'd pull it up in its usual pony-tail.

I sat down at the large kitchen table, where Sora and Takishi were quietly conversing. Us three seemed to be the only ones up at the moment, seeing as it was around 7:00 in the morning, and my team-mates were trying to catch up on lost sleep from all those night watches this week. I had automatically gotten up, however, ten minutes ago, for who knows why. Had I been in my own bed, at my own house, I would have slept until Lee got me up.

Takishi greeted me with a cheery smile, while Sora regarded me closely. I squirmed under the scrutiny.

"Takishi was just telling me about you and your team," he said, his stare softening into a smile. "You all seem like quite the noble genin."

I blushed slightly at the praise. "I assure you, Takishi-san is exaggerating. We are just doing our job, Narika-san."

He grinned, "He said you'd say that. And please, just call me Sora."

I gave Takishi a mock affronted look. He grinned sheepishly back at me. "I told him not to listen to you if you tried to be modest."

I let out a huff. All this praise was going to go to my head.

"Thank you for the praise, but, really, we're just doing our job."

They both smiled, but dropped the subject.

"So, Na- I mean..." I cut off after seeing the mild glare leveled at me, "Sora-san, what kind of work did you do in your old village?"

He scratched his bearded chin, "Well, I was a metal worker. Not so much basic ninja weapons like kunai and shuriken, but my expertise was in the odd weapons that you don't see many ninja's wielding."

I leaned forward in interest. "Like what?"

His kind eyes sparkled at my clear curiosity. "I made weapons like tonfa, nunchaku, metal whips, claws, fans." He rattled off, gesturing enthusiastically. It was clear his enjoyed his craft. "I even made small katanas, almost like daggers really. Takishi would make the sheaths and belts for me."

I nodded, taking in all this information. I had heard of other ninja weapons, but never really got into it. I am more of a ninjutsu styled fighter, compared to a taijutsu and weapon fighter. Even so, learning about how he makes these unique ninja gear, I couldn't help but be interested.

He explained to me how he has to get each piece of metal at the right temperature before he can shape it, or else it would deform. It really was a complicated process. He was obviously encouraged by my rapt attention.

When he described how he made the nunchaku, I couldn't help but think that it would be the perfect weapon for Lee. Takishi and Sora noticed my extra interest in that particular weapon by how many more questions I asked.

"Does it take a lot of work to master the nunchaku?" I asked, continuing my interrogation. Every question I asked, the surer I was that it would be a perfect fit for my best friend.

"Hmm… To master? I'd say quite challenging to learn, especially if you need to use it in combat. It takes a lot of determination to learn, I guess you could say." Sora answered, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"Why are you so interested in the nunchaku anyways?" Takishi asked, "I wouldn't think it'd be your style."

"Oh, no," I replied, shaking my head, "I was thinking Lee would like that kind of weapon. From what you described, it'd be a perfect choice for him."

"Oh," Takishi leaned back in his chair thoughtfully.

"Wait, isn't Lee the energetic kid with black hair?" Sora asked, trying to match a name to a face. I had forgotten that he hasn't known us for all that long.

"Yeah, that's Lee." I said.

"Oh, that's right," Takishi interjected, looking like he remembered something, "You said he's your best friend, right?"

I nodded the affirmative. Sora looked thoughtfully at me, and I squirmed slightly under his gaze.

"Yeah, you guys look like you'd be best friends. From what I've seen, you both share some personality quirks." said Sora, a small smile on his face.

_ Personality quirks?_ "How so?"

"Well," Sora started, "You both seem to smile all the time, even when that other teammate of yours is pessimistic," I winced at the mention of Neji's 'glass-half-empty' view of things.

"And besides that," Takishi took over, "I've seen you both rub the backs of your heads when embarrassed, or clench and unclench your fists when angry. Things like that only come from being around a person for a while."

I smiled embarrassedly. I noticed that Lee and I both rubbed the back of our heads often, but the other things they mentioned I didn't even realize!

"Yeah, I've known Lee since I was about five." I said, looking into their amused eyes.

"Really?" Sora asked, "How old are you now then?"

"Hmm, well, I'm eleven, and Lee's twelve."

"Oh, so you've known each other for..." Takishi mused, counting on his fingers, "Six years, then?"

"Yep!" I said happily. It feels like it was just yesterday I met him.

"How'd you meet?"

The simple question from Sora made my smile droop a little. I still remembered with clarity that night I was chased into the forest, and how that barely ever happed again after I met my best friend. "Let's just say it wasn't on the terms either of us would've liked. But, at the same time, I wouldn't change that night for anything."

They noticed my faltering smile and dropped the subject. We chatted about lighter subjects for a while, laughing and smiling merrily.

Sora was telling a story about one of his recent run-ins with a stray samurai when he cut off his sentence, looking towards the door. Takishi and I followed his gaze, and ended up looking into the cold and pupil less eyes of Hyuuga Neji.

Neji turned his gaze from where he was looking at Sora to me, his emotionless mask never faltering.

"Gai told me to get you. It's time to go train." He said, then turned on his heel and walked back out the door.

I sighed, not at the fact it was time to train, but at Neji's continuing coldness towards everyone. Was it just me, or was it getting worse?

"Why does he use such disrespectful address to your sensei?" Sora asked, jolting me out of my thoughts. Ah, so I wasn't the only one who noticed.

"Neji is…" I started, uncertain of what to say. Why _was_ Neji so cold and only referred to Gai as 'sensei' to his face?

I blinked, remembering the conversation I had with Hinata just a short while before Team Gai left for our mission. I had gone to visit my Academy friends, when I ended up talking with Hinata about her cousin, trying to get some answers out of her. I thought if I did, I'd understand my teammate better and could be a better… Teammate? Friend? I guess I sort of do consider Neji a friend, even if he obviously does not feel the same towards me.

In the end, my conversation with Hinata only made me more confused.

~.~

_I walked up to the Academy, a happy light in my eyes. I was on a mission._

_ I was currently on my break from out daily training. Sensei allowed us an hour lunch break every day, with which we could do whatever we wanted for an hour. _

_ Lee was with Gai-sensei eating lunch somewhere. They invited me to join them, but I turned them down, saying I had something I wanted to do today. Gai started whining and crying anime tears, but Lee understood that it was important to me. Don't ask me how; it's a best friend thing._

_ I was going to talk to Hinata and Kiba today. I hadn't spoken with them since graduation._

_ I saw all the Academy students behind the chained fence, eating their lunches. I looked towards the tree that had been dubbed 'Lee and Naru's Tree' by all the other students. I smiled when I saw three people sitting under it._

_ Kiba and Hinata were chatting while eating their lunch, while Shino, a boy I hadn't talked to much in my time at the Academy, just observed them quietly. _

_ My smile turned into a smirk. The tree was on the other side of the yard, right by the other side of the fence. I could jump the fence, and go straight into the tree. Then I could scare Kiba out of his skin. _

_ I made my way stealthily to the opposite side of the fence, quickly and quietly putting my feet in the holes made by the chain link. As I landed on a lower branch, right above Kiba, I noticed Shino looking up at me with a raised eyebrow. Kiba and Hinata were too deep in conversation to notice me, I knew Shino was too observant not to. I gave him a grin, silently telling him that I wanted to surprise them. He understood, because he gave me a small nod and returned his attention to the other two's conversation._

_ I readied myself, crouching on the branch. Hinata giggled at something Kiba said, while the Inuzuka (sp?) boy had a roughish grin on his face. I grinned foxily, then jumped off the branch._

_ "KIBA!" _

_ Said boy let out a strangled yell when I pounced him, yelling his name at the top of my lungs. Hinata froze, looking thoroughly surprised, while the rest of the students looked over at us. _

_ "N-N-N-Naru-chan!" Hinata yelled after she got over her shock, a small smile on her face._

_ "EH? Naru? What's the big idea, jumping on me like that?" Kiba yelled indignantly, shoving me off him. Even though he was trying to act angry, I could still see the grin that was forming on his face. _

_ "Oh, I just wanted to visit. It seemed more fun to surprise you." I said as I looked around at the other students. I saw Sakura and Ino, whose faces twisted into angry scowls at the sight of me, standing at the base of a tree with other girls. I looked up the tree, having a hunch about what was so interesting about that particular tree. _

_Sasuke stood on one of the upper-most branches, also looking over at me like the rest of my curious former classmates. I locked eyes with him, tilting my head a little. He didn't seem angry or annoyed at my presence, but rather he looked… grateful? I blinked. Then, I smiled, raising a hand towards him with a wink. To my surprise, he smiled slightly back, just a small upturn of the corners of his lips, and raised a hand to wave back at me._

"_Was it you that talked to Uchiha-san, Uzumaki-san?" Shino asked, watching my short interaction with Sasuke. _

_I turned towards him, "What do you mean? And just call me Naru, Shino."_

_He nodded to the second part, then continued, "Uchiha-san has had some behavioral changes some since you graduated. Why? I assume from your social interaction with him that you are the person he has said was the cause of his attitude adjustment."_

_I blinked. He had said something? "Yes, I did speak with him. What did he say?"_

"_I asked him why he wasn't being so emo anymore" Kiba said, "I expected him to get angry or glare at me like he would usually do, but he just said, 'A certain person that is now precious to me has changed my views on many things' and left it at that. Whenever anyone asks him who it is, he always says that he'd have to ask the person if it was okay to tell because he wasn't sure if it was a secret or not."_

_I furrowed my brow, wondering why the heck he thought it might be a secret. Then I thought about the glares from Sakura and Ino that were still directed at me and shivered. If they knew I was apparently one of Sasuke's precious people, then I'd be dead in five minutes, no matter that I was higher in rank then them. _

"_Err… I'd rather Sasuke's fan girls didn't know, so if you three wouldn't tell, I'd appreciate it..." I said, rubbing the back of my head. _

_Kiba laughed loudly, while Hinata giggled again. Shino raised an amused eyebrow, but didn't comment. They didn't ask about what I'd said to him, sensing that that part was kind of a secret. We chatted for a while about my new genin duties and what it was like to be out of the Academy. When the conversation turned towards my team, however, I remembered something I wanted to ask Hinata. _

"_Hey, Hina-chan" I said, using my nickname for her, "What can you tell me about your cousin?"_

"_N-N-Neji-nii-san?" She asked. _

"_Mmm hmm. I don't know much about him, but he never gives me a chance to talk to him, so I can't really ask."_

"_O-oh." She stuttered, "W-what do y-you want to know a-about him?"_

"_Well, do you know why he is so…" I paused, searching for the right word, "Cold, towards everyone?"_

"_N-Neji-nii-san is like that b-because h-he is p-p-part of the Branch H-house in our clan" She looked distinctly uncomfortable, but continued on, "His F-Father was my father's twin brother, but because my f-father was born slightly sooner, N-Neji's father was put into the Branch family, while my father was put into t-the m-main family."_

"_Wait, so why would that make Neji so mean?" Kiba asked bluntly, "What's the difference between the houses?"_

"_W-w-w-w-well, u-um, y-y-you s-see…" Hinata stuttered out, pushing her two index fingers together furiously, looking very much upset._

_Shino saved her from trying to explain but cutting in. "The Hyuuga clan has a very old tradition of splitting their clan into two separate unities. The Branch families are all marked at a certain age with a seal on their foreheads, marking them as separate from the more nobly viewed apon Main house. This seal, if activated by a Main branch member or Clan head, will ultimately kill the wearer, though I will spare you the gruesome details."_

"_The b-branch member's a-a-are more like slaves to the M-Main house than anything." Hinata whispered, having calmed down some. "They a-are expected t-to g-give up their lives f-for an M-main house member if n-need b-be."_

_I was horrified. How much of a burden that must be over Neji's head!_

"_I-I d-do not like t-the way m-my clan s-separates its people" Hinata murmured, looking up at me, "I w-want to c-change it, b-but for now, I s-settle for trying to be as n-nice as I can to my cousin."_

_I smiled slightly at her, trying to reassure her. Thoughts swirled around my head, even as my friends were called inside by Iruka-sensei. I was even more at loss now. I didn't know what to do about my team-mate. _

_But for now I'd do as Hinata was, try to be a friend to the cold boy._

_~.~_

I blinked at the hand waving in front of my face, startling me out of my revere. I followed the arm to Takishi, who was looking worriedly at me, along with Sora.

"Are you alright? You were out of it for a minute." Sora said, glancing at Takishi.

"O-oh. Yes, I'm okay." I said, shaking my head. "What was I saying?"

"You said 'Neji is…' then spaced out." Takishi filled in, taking a seat again.

"Oh."

I turned, making my way to the door while finishing my sentence.

"Neji has a burden on him that is hard to bear, and I suspect that he has more secrets that have not been revealed."

* * *

I huffed tiredly, staring at the tree I have grown to dislike. Gai-sensei had us start making marks on the tree with a kunai to mark our progress. Neji's marks were going a little bit higher up than mine, showing how much farther he was ahead of me in this exercise.

But I didn't let that get me down.

I knew that this was, in a way, harder for me to master than him. I knew that I had more chakra than him due to my tenant, making it harder to apply the right amount of chakra to my feet. I was used to pumping as much charka as I could into my jutsus, so it was difficult for me to re-train myself to emit a certain amount.

But he didn't need to know that.

I just had to try harder. I had graduated early by hard work; I can master this exercise by hard work.

And I was starting to sound like Gai and Lee.

I inwardly rolled my eyes, then took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I heard Neji's kunai scraping the bark again, but forced myself not to look. I needed to concentrate.

There were quite a few differences in Neji's and my own training styles. It showed in the mark on the tree. His marks were steadily apart, showing his steady progress each time he ran up the tree. I also noticed he tended to analyze the tree after each run, most likely figuring out what he needed to change. My own tree was filled with uneven marks, though it was still steadily climbing higher up the tree. I ran up the tree a few times before stopping and analyzing, though it made me more tired than my teammate.

I ran up the tree again, concentrating on my chakra. Akio was watching me from the base of another tree not too far away, having been invited by Gai to watch, much to Neji's dislike. He had a tendency to cheer for me whenever I made a large gap between my last marks, which only made me try harder.

I ignored the thought for now, trying my best to keep a cool head and go farther up the tree. The farthest I've made it was about half the tall tree, and I was determined to beat that.

I ran higher, and I barely noticed when I stepped over my last mark. I shoved it to the back of my mind, not letting it make me cocky. I heard Akio gasp as I made my way higher, and I had to fight the grin off my face.

At that, my concentration slipped, causing me to charge too much chakra to my feet. As the bark contracted under my foot, I flipped backwards, slicing the tree with a kunai in my hand right where I stopped running. I flew towards the ground in a ball, landing on the ground agilely. Akio cheered as I stood up straight, grinning ecstatically. I looked up at my newest mark, which was found a good nine feet from my last one.

I looked over to where Gai and Lee were training to find them grinning at me happily. I glanced over at Neji, to find him glaring murderously at me.

I flinched, the grin slipping off my face. The expression on his usually emotionless face surprised me. Anger, malice, hate.

_Sorrow._

"You make me sick."

I knew this was the turning point.

_**Charming Karma-**_** I'm glad you think my story is Magnifi-awes-amaz-ool! This chapter is dedicated to you!**

**A.N.: Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long, I've had a lot of schoolwork and I haven't had time since getting out of school to write. But here it is! Until next time, STAY YOUTHFUL!**


	17. Fate, Fake, and Faith

**A.N.: DUN-DUN-DUN! It's the moment quite a few of you have been waiting for! THE-NARU-KICKS-NEJI'S-BUTT CHAPTER! Well, it's not going to be so much as a fight as a heated conversation….. But you'll see! I'm excited for this chapter, cuz its annoying writing Neji all angst-y… But, anyway! On with the show!**

**

* * *

**

My Protector

Chapter 15 – Fate, Fake, and Faith

_"You make me sick."_

I blinked at my fuming teammate, almost surprised at his outburst.

_Almost._

"What did you say?"

"You heard me." he said, a hint of growl in his voice, "_You_ make me _sick_."

"Hey!" Lee yelled, taking an outraged step forward, "Don't talk to her like that!"

I shot Lee a glance, his eyes locking with mine. He paused in his step, taking in the look I was giving him. I tried to convey what I was thinking to him. This conversation was something that needed to happen. It wasn't so much of a surprise that Neji was finally snapping. I had seen it coming. Maybe not consciously, but in the back of my mind I knew by the recent heated glares and snappish comments towards me that he was near his breaking point. The only thing I didn't know was _why._

But it had to get worse before it got better.

I turned away from my best friend, hoping I got the message across. I must have, as he said nothing more.

"Why do I make you sick?"

This seemed to make him even angrier, his pearly white eyes narrowing.

"As if you don't know!" he yelled.

I tried to keep a cool head. I had to rein my temper in so I could resolve this-whatever it was- between Neji and me. But this was easier said then done, especially when someone is yelling at you.

"You weasel your way into everyone's trust without even trying!"

I stumbled back a few steps at his acclimation. Whatever I was expecting him to say, it wasn't that.

"_What?_"

"You know what I said!" He took a few steps forward, "You gain everyone's faith by just meeting a person, with your fake smile and fake kindness, just like my worthless cousin!"

I gaped wordlessly at him for a few moments trying to process what he said. He thought I was _fake_? And I gained trust without trying? How… How ridiculous! How could anyone _possibly_ make instant allies or friends without trying!

Then my brain processed the last part of his sentence.

The thin string holding back the part of me that wanted to yell at him snapped.

Before the surrounding people knew what was happening, my fist had connected with Neji's jaw, making him stumble back a few paces. His head remained turned to the side as I huffed.

"How- How DARE you insult Hinata-chan! She has wanted nothing but better for you, and this is how you replay her? That poor girl wants nothing more than to re-unite your clan- make it what it should be! She _knows_ that there's no point in a divided family. She also knows that she can't do anything now, so she tries to make up for it by showing you kindness from the bottom of her heart!

"But you," I lifted up my chin as he turned back towards me, "you mock that kindness. You mock what she knows. What _I_ know. I also know that what you clan does to it members is wrong, and I don't care who I offend by saying it. It is wrong to have that seal on your forehead."

There was a sudden stillness in the air as the white eyes focused on me. Akio had moved over to Gai and Lee when I punched Neji, knowing instinctively that he should stay out of the way. Gai had a strong hand on Lee and Akio's shoulders, a grim look on his face.

My fists were quivering, my anger dying down to a glowing ember, waiting to be brought up into another glowing flame, or to be put out.

The pearly eyes, which usually shown no emotion, were swirling with anger. But even as I watched that anger was slowly melting into a different emotion.

"And you say," I continued, my voice taking on a softer tone, "that Hinata's kindness is fake. That I am fake. But, didn't you notice, Neji? I don't instantly make friends. I don't instantly gain trust. No, I had to work towards that trust, that _faith_. Lee, Gai-sensei, Akio, Takishi, Sora, I know they all trust me… because I trust _them_. I _know_ them. I've talked with them, learning their interests, while they learn mine.

"But, Neji" I said, "I can't learn more about you until you-"

"You don't know anything!" He burst out, "How can you understand me! How could you ever understand what its like to be alone?"

I took a step back, startled by his sudden outburst.

"How could you ever understand what it's like to be parentless? What do you know! Nothing!"

He was breathing heavily, glaring at me again. But I caught that emotion in his eyes, now coming through the anger…

_Sadness._

_Desperation._

_Frustration._

It was all rolled into one, and for the first time, I had a clearer understanding of _why_. It wasn't just the mark on his forehead. It wasn't just the weight of being in the branch family. It was the agony of having no-one who understood what it was like to be alone, to have no-one to care for you.

I understood now why he used 'fate' as the reason for everything. It was much easier to blame his misfortune on something not very many people could deny.

But I was certain it was not his fate to be alone for the rest of his days.

"You know, Neji," I started, "You may think that I may not understand. But, tell me, what really do you know about me?"

His shoulders un-tensed and his eyes lost the furious glare.

He was thinking.

I gave him a few moments, and when he said nothing, I continued.

"And Lee? What do you know about him?"

He still had nothing to say.

"If you know that little of us, how can you make judgments like that?" I asked, "Did you assume, Hyuuga Neji, that Lee and I were both comfortably living with our parents, living a carefree life?"

He didn't say anything, but his eyes said it clearly enough for me.

_Yes._

"Well, I'll be the first to say you are _dead wrong_."

The stillness returned, but I wasn't going to let it stay for very long.

I shot Lee another look, silently asking permission. He nodded. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gai gently taking Akio by the shoulder and leading him back to the fort. I was suddenly grateful towards my teacher. He turned and gave a nod to me, knowing what I intended to do.

"Lee and I are both orphans. Lee lost his parents at age four, them having both died on a mission. He had lived in an orphanage for a year before moving out on his own, having no friends until the age of seven, when he met me. Even then, he was shunned at the Academy because he was different than the other students.

"I never knew my parents. I was orphaned at birth. To this day I don't know who they are. I lived in an orphanage until I was three, when I was kicked out. I've lived on my own since then, also having no friends until I was six. To this day, I'm constantly shunned from the village, met with glares and insults, because I am also _different_."

I heard Lee gasp, realizing what secret I was going to unfold. I smiled grimly, waiting for Neji to ask the question.

He just stared for a few minutes, letting what I said sink in. I knew his intelligent mind was digesting the information, slowly processing and forming questions to ask.

"How are you different?"

I smiley wryly, his attention focused on me. I hoped in the back of my mind that this wouldn't turn out badly.

"I, Hyuuga Neji, am the jailer to the Kyuubi no Kitsune."

I allowed that to sink in for a moment before continuing.

"Neji, I know you are very smart. I trust you know what a jinchuuriki is. We've had studies on it at the Academy.

"I suppose you would say that all jinchuuriki have the fate to be like their held demons. But I strive against that fate. I refuse to become what the village already suspects I am. I will push with all my might against my 'fate' and become the exact opposite."

I took a deep breath, looking Neji directly in the eye. "_Nothing_ will stop me from reaching my dreams. I will become the Hokage, no matter how many people will doubt me in the beginning, no matter how many people doubt me _now_. And when I do realize that dream, I promise that I will help Hinata in the reuniting of your clan and get that mark off your forehead."

My last sentence hung in the air, seeming to take the oxygen out of it as I held my breath. Neji's head tilted down, shadows covering his eyes. He remained motionless for a few minutes, and then he spoke.

"My- My mother died during childbirth. I never really knew her, but my father used to say she was an amazing woman. My father was the only one there for me while I grew up. Then, when I turned six, Hinata was kidnapped by some cloud nin.

"My uncle, Hinata's father, defeated the cloud nin who tried to capture her. But, there was a war going on between the Hyuuga and Kumo (cloud) at the time. Cloud would not settle until we gave up the body of who killed their men. The council didn't want their clan head killed, so they had my father take his place, seeing as they were twins."

Neji looked up then, "They- They took my father from me! They killed him in the place of my uncle! I didn't understand, I still don't. How could they just take his life! Was he willing, wasn't he? I don't know!"

He dropped to his knees, but an anguished look in his eyes. He looked up at me, as if searching for answers.

I took a few steps forward, then kneeled in front of my tortured teammate. I put my hands on his shoulders, encouraged when he didn't pull away.

"Have you asked your uncle?" I asked him, speaking softly.

He blinked. "No."

"Then why don't you? He may be more understanding than you think. Maybe he has more of the story."

He blinked again, then turned his head away. "Naru, I've been proven wrong about a lot of things today. I made assumptions that only made me look like a fool in the end. I have even been proved wrong in my belief in destiny. You've proved me wrong, and for that…." He looked back at me, "I'm truly grateful."

"But do you think I could be proven wrong again?" he asked.

I knew he was referring to whatever assumptions he made about the death of his father. I smiled at him.

"I think so."

Then, he did one of the things I've never seen him do before. The corners of his lips tilted upwards in a sort-of smile, like he hadn't smiled in a while, which I wouldn't doubt. Just a tiny tilt, but it made all the difference.

I beamed back, standing up to my full height.

"So!" I exclaimed, extending out a hand to him, "Are we friends now?"

He stared at my hand for a moment, then grasped it, letting me pull him up. "Yes."

Lee then walked over to us, grinning from ear to ear. Neji looked uncomfortable, then stiffly stuck out his hand to Lee. The boy in green grabbed it immediately, not missing a beat. Lee shook his hand vigorously, throwing Neji temporarily off balance.

"I'm glad were all friends now. Now our team can be the best ever!" Lee said excitedly, releasing Neji's hand after a moment.

"Yup!" I agreed, feeling cheerful once again. All this serious discussion was getting me down. Being mature all the time was seriously wearing me out.

"Well, it should be almost time for diner, we should head back."

Both my male teammates nodded. Neji was slipping back into a more quiet and relaxed aura, mostly just watching Lee and I. I knew he was more comfortable like that, and I was just glad the coldness was gone from his gaze.

Suddenly, I took off at a sprint towards where I knew the fort was.

"Race you there!"

"Hey, no fair! You cheated!"

"… Are you both always this full of energy?"

* * *

**A.N.: And there it is! I don't think it was very good myself, defiantly not my best work. The reason why Neji is a bit more emotional in this "confrontation" or whatever you want to call it is because in the Manga, he's admitting this in front of a crowd, and is older, than in this context where he's a year younger and it's just him, naru, Lee for the most part. Well, anyway, tell me what you think! Sorry its so short, I'll make up for it in the next chapter!**


	18. Behind the Glass

**A.N.: Wow, it's already been a month since I updated? Jeez, time flies when you're doing nothing. (Hence I have no excuse. :P) Oh! And check out my profile, I put up a series of drabbles that is a side story to this. It may help you understand Lee and Naru's relationship better, or just provide amusement if you have nothing to do….**

**

* * *

**

My Protector

_Chapter 16 – Behind the Glass_

I leaned back onto the tree from the branch I was perched on. I had been practicing tree walking all day, even though I had made it to the top shortly after starting training this morning. I was more confident in my control, and I could be more efficient in how much chakra I released in my jutsu, which I tested earlier. I was alone in the forest near the fort at the moment, the others having left for diner.

I hopped down from the thick limb near the top of the tree, landing expertly on the ground. I walked slowly towards the hidden fort, giving myself time to go over the past few days in my head.

We had been at the fort with Takishi and the others for over a week. Gai had said last night that we could expect Kaoru to be coming after us again soon. Starting tomorrow we wouldn't be allowed to train and had to stay inside, to better preserve our energy for the upcoming fight. We had to be well rested and ready to go as soon as possible.

Gai had also said that it was possible that Kaoru wouldn't come alone, since he knew he couldn't take us all on himself. So, we were all jittery with anticipation and weariness of the unknown.

But, despite our nerves, this past week has been great for Team Gai's teamwork. With Neji now more willing to work with us, we all spent the most part of our days learning about each other while we trained. It was easier to get along, and our team benefited greatly. Gai kept going on about his "Most Youthful Team" all the time. This cued amused eye rolls and chuckles.

I broke myself out of my musings when I entered the fort, heading straight to the dining room. There was probably no one left in there, since it was near seven thirty now, and everyone else ate at six, but I didn't mind eating alone. Besides, I could just take my plate to my temporary bedroom so I didn't have to sit in the big empty dining space. The rebelling Rice villagers were nice enough to give us each our own rooms while we were staying in the surprisingly large wooden fort.

I loaded up my plate with the rice and veggies that were left on the table for me. Not very hot, but still edible. I jammed a grilled pepper in my mouth as I made my way to the small room that was unofficially declared mine. I sat on the plain sheets on my large floor mat while wondering what I was going to do for the rest of the night.

As if hearing my minds call for something to do, Lee came bounding into my room, a large grin on his face. Neji came shortly after him, though he didn't _bound_ in, but calmly walked.

"Shouldn't you have knocked first," he asked Lee as the green clad boy sat next to me, "The door was closed."

His voice lacked the bite that you would expect from such a question. Instead, it sounded like more of a polite suggestion, if not just trying to find out Lee's reasoning. It was with small things like this I knew Neji was trying to make an effort to get to know us.

"Sure I should have, if had been anyone else," Lee replied, "But I know Naru wouldn't mind."

Neji looked to me for confirmation. I nodded with a slight smile. I noticed that Neji was always careful not to offend either of us and always asked for confirmation when one of us said something about the other. He was still very tentative, but I was hoping to fix that with time. He was already becoming something like an older brother.

The white eyed boy nodded and moved to sit in front of me, cross legged. I looked from Neji to Lee while stuffing more rice into my open mouth, an eyebrow lifted in question.

Neji spoke up first, "I was discussing with Lee while you were training that it might be a good idea to come up with some battle plans ahead of time that we can change on the spot. It would be a good tool for the upcoming battle and future missions."

Lee nodded vigorously beside me. I mulled over the thought for a moment. Not a bad idea…

"That sounds like a great idea. It'd be better than coming up with whole plans on the spot." I said, tapping my chin.

"Of course," Neji responded, "Lee and I both agree that you have been doing a great job coming up with our plans, but I know that it is difficult to come up with entirely new combat sequences each battle."

I coughed embarrassedly into my fist at the compliment. "I agree… Erm, with the second part. I don't think I can keep coming up with tactics like I have been. And anyway, its better we do this as a team, since we all know our limits and what we can do."

Neji nodded while Lee looked up from where he had been eating the rest of my rice. I wasn't surprised when I heard him pick up my half eaten plate when I set it down. He was just lucky I was finished eating, otherwise I would have smacked him upside the head for taking my food.

"So, what should we do first?" He asked, sending us both a cheery grin.

"Um, I guess we should write down all our specific attacks and strengths?" It came out as a question as I looked to both boys for approval.

"That would be a good starting point." Neji agreed, nodding appreciatively.

Lee jumped up and ran out of the room to get us paper and pens, leaving Neji and I in a comfortable silence.

The black haired boy was back before we could do much else –how did that boy move so _fast?_- and handed us each a peace of paper and a pen he found from who-knows-where. I made quick work of writing down my jutsu (seeing as I only knew Kage Bunshin, Futon: Daitoppa, and Academy jutsu), but paused at my strengths.

What _were_ my strengths? The first that came to mind was super-powered jutsu, which I quickly wrote down. But what else? I had to have more than one strength, right?

Lee peaked over my shoulder, having finished his own list. He tilted his head, almost bumping it with mine.

"You should put improvisation down as one of your strengths. You're really good at coming up with things on the spot and modifying your jutsu."

I turned my head to look at him, an eyebrow raised skeptically. He just shrugged, grinning happily.

"I agree." Neji imputed, making me turn to look at him, "Your work on your wind technique is proof of that."

I shrugged at them both, but put it on my list anyway. We all compiled our lists, making edits to others suggestions. We started making battle plans, coming up with names for each one –after hand signs so we could communicate them over a distance if needed-, and writing them down so we wouldn't forget in the morning, before we had a chance to practice.

We stayed up well into the night, unaware of the sparkling black eyes of our sensei that watched us through the crack in my door before sneaking away with a proud bounce in his step.

* * *

I awoke the next morning comfortably warm. My eyelids fluttered open reluctantly, noticing immediately the reason of my comfort.

Lee's head was resting on my stomach, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. He was snoring softly, still asleep. My hand was rested on his head, buried in his smooth black locks. My head, I found, was resting on Neji's upper arm, whose other arm was propped behind his head. I yawned widely, which caused Neji to shift and open his eyes tiredly. He looked down at me, his lips twitching upwards in the resemblance of a smile when he saw my head propped on his arm.

I went to move away from his bicep, only to be forced back down when Lee tightened his grip. I sighed exasperatedly, finding familiarity in this situation. I stiffened slightly when I realized that the last time we were like this was when I was in the hospital, but shook off the feeling quickly.

A devious smile twisted my lips as a plan popped into my head, causing Neji to raise an inquisitive eyebrow. My hands formed the ram sign, making a shadow clone poof into existence. The me-double skipped to the bathroom, cheerfully filling a nearby bucket with ice cold water.

My smirk formed into a grin as my clone stepped over to Lee's unsuspecting head, positioning the bucket for maximum dousing for him.

"Payback is sweet."

I didn't even care that I ended up getting soaked as well, the sight of Lee jumping up a mile was all to satisfying.

"ARRRG! NARU!"

I took off down the hall, laughing my head off. Lee wasn't far behind me, and I knew I wouldn't make it far before he caught up.

"Now you know how I feel from all those years I woke up with water in my face!"

* * *

I was still grinning from this mornings events; despite the gut wrenching tickle attack I got in return for my prank. When we returned to my room, we found Neji staring at one of three photos that were laying on the edge of my bed mat. Turns out our devious sensei snuck into my room, taking three photos of us while we were sleeping. I had to admit it was cute, and planned to frame it when I returned to my apartment. Lee and Neji both took their pictures with them to their rooms, grinning and smirking respectively.

We now all sat in the dining room, chatting with the villagers. I ate my oatmeal with gusto, devouring it along side my chipper best friend. Neji ate with polite bites, but didn't chastise us for our messy eating. Gai was just as enthusiastic as usual, spouting off phrases about "youth" often. The villagers were cheery as well, if not somewhat anxious.

Everyone suddenly froze, feeling the shock of a massive killing intent. Neji, Lee and I exchanged glances before looking to our grim sensei. He stood up, his joyful demeanor gone in an instant, being replaced with the expression we all classified as "battle-ready".

"Takishi-san," Gai said, turning to said person, "Keep all the villagers in here. My team and I will take care of this. We'll be back as soon as we finish."

Takishi nodded stiffly, trying to overcome to paralyzing K.I. Our green clad sensei turned to us, his lips a thin line.

"It is time to go. Are you ready?"

All three of us nodded firmly. Now that the moment was here, my nervousness was replaced with determination. I really was ready for this.

I turned to the brown haired boy that was sitting on the other side of Lee.

"Akio, stay here, we don't want you to be controlled again."

He nodded, standing up with us. He waved as we rushed out the door, making our way to the front of the fort.

I checked my supplies quickly before we came to the source of the killing intent. I was glad that I sharpened my kunai, and restocked my medical supplies. I noticed Lee and Neji doing the same, following my lead.

We slid to a stop a ways away from the fort, twenty feet in front of two figures. Kaoru we recognized immediately, but the feminine figure beside him we did not. Gai was right in saying he wouldn't come alone.

"Greetings, Leaf ninja!" Kaoru said in an annoyingly polite voice, "I would like you to meet Cho-chan! Gato let me borrow her from his ninja that he has under him. I didn't want you kiddies to be bored while I fought Gai-san. She should be enough to take care of you, considering she's a B-ranked Mist traitor."

I didn't let myself be fazed by his taunts. He just wanted to get into our heads, trying to scare us with the prospect of fighting a low Jounin level ninja. We weren't afraid; we had already fought against Kaoru himself, so we had a taste of what it was like fighting a level higher than us. Besides, we were a proper team now.

Kaoru narrowed his eyes when none of us reacted to his teasing. The tall female, Cho, shifted slightly, taking in our confident stances. Her Mist headband was secured tightly on her forehead, proudly displaying the harsh line marked through the symbol.

Kaoru smirked, "Well, it seems that quite a few things have changed in the past week, haven't they?"

He didn't expand apon his statement, but I really didn't care what he meant.

"Let us get on with this," Gai said, drawing both opposing ninja's attention to him, "There is no reason to delay."

"Rather impatient, Gai-san. Very well. Let's take our fight to a more secluded location, shall we? I have nothing more to say to the brats."

Gai nodded, spearing us with a quick look. "Be careful. I am confident in your abilities, but still be cautious."

We nodded to our sensei, watching as both Jounin disappeared in a blur. We turned our attention to the woman in front of us, who was looking rather annoyed.

"I'm pretty insulted that Kaoru would leave me to fight you brats and take the Jounin himself." She said, "What are you, Academy students?"

"You wish." I said, unable to help myself. She smirked at me.

"That's some pretty cocky talk for such a little girl."

"You'd be surprised with what she can do." Lee added.

"Yeah, all three of us will surprise you." I said.

"Is that so?"

"You'll see."

"Fine then." She suddenly lashed out with a senbon needle coated with something. We jumped out of the way, avoiding the needle with whatever it was coating it.

"Poison?" Neji asked, his bloodline activated. He must be able to tell by looking at it closely.

"Yep. I specialize in poison and acids." She replied smugly, foolishly giving away her abilities because of her cockiness.

_Hmm… seems I'll have to be the distraction for this battle. _I thought of our pre-made plans, trying to find the best fit. I would have to pose as the distraction because of her ability with poison. I could neutralize most poisons because of my unwilling prisoner, so that made me the best choice for wearing her down and giving my team-mates a chance to give the ending blow. Most of our plans revolved around our distraction and one shot strategy, but there were still some that accounted for injuries or other things.

I jumped out of the way again as Cho sent more senbon in my direction. I quickly scanned my minds list, coming up with one that made my lips twist into a smirk.

I made eye contact with Neji, forming my hands into the Bird sign. He nodded before relaying the same sign to Lee. Cho was none the wiser about the plan about to be put into action.

I jumped out of the bushes I was half-heartedly hiding in. Cho's eyes automatically snapped to me, narrowing in a suspicious glare. My confidence faltered momentarily at her glare, but I regained it quickly. My teammates were counting on me right now, and there was no time to doubt myself.

"Just you, little girl?" She sneered.

"Yup."

We both jumped into action. She started doing a jutsu just as I did, though hers involved more handsigns than mine. I finished first, making five shadow clones.

She finished her jutsu soon after, "Acid Whip!"

Two long rope-like things formed in her hands, though they did not harm her. They were a blue-ish color, and looked almost like water. I knew better though, the name gave away what it was made of.

She flung one down, taking out one of my shadow clones with a sizzle. I searched my mind to figure out a way to disarm her, since our plan couldn't progress until I did. My eyes focused on the whip she just used. Barely noticeable, but it was deteriorating.

So I needed to wear her out, that jutsu must take a lot of chakra…

I dodged to the left as she took out two more clones with her acid. I saw her second whip come down right beside me out of the corner of my eye. Close shave….

My mini plan was working, however, as her whips were losing length with every hit. I had lost all my clones by now, and it was only me.

She stepped foreword so she could hit me easier. I looked back and forth, trying to find a way to quickly evade her attack.

"No clones to hide behind now, hmm?"

She brought both hands down at the same time, and I was hard pressed to avoid both. One of the whips barely skimmed the side of my left hand, making the glove fall off.

"Darn it! Those are my favorite gloves!"

"Quit whining! Those cloth gloves wouldn't hold up in many battles anyway!" she yelled back, enraged, as her whips dissolved completely.

Obviously she was a bit (_a lot_) ticked off that she hadn't burned half my flesh off yet. I huffed, regaining my breath to try to start phase two.

She didn't give me much time as she drew out more poison coated senbon. I tried to dodge while drawing up more shadow clones, only half succeeding. Two or three stick into my arm, making me hiss in pain. I could feel the poison entering my blood system, but shortly after I felt the fox's demonic chakra terminate it. Three clones popped into existence beside me, immediately running to circle Cho. Cho, however, didn't move, and just smirked cockily, expecting my clones to disappear and me to drop over dead in a few seconds.

I pulled the senbon out of my arm, whipping the smirk off her face. My clones and I formed a square around her before she could react, putting our palms out to her. She scrambled to grab more senbon, but I didn't let her. I was itching to try my newest variation of my wind technique.

"Futon: Daitoppa! Wind Tunnel!"

My clones and I all released the jutsu, sending her from one air blast into another. Air pounded her at bruising speeds, sending her off balance. I used my other hand to flick a one fingered salute over my shoulder. The signal.

Almost instantly after I released the jutsu a blur of green surrounded Cho. Lee already had his weights off and was running circles around the ex-Mist Nin as fast as she could so Neji would have a chance to get ready. Said Hyuuga boy was now standing beside me, and I knew it was time to step back. I was breathing heavily with effort as I jumped back so Neji would have enough space.

Neji slid into his clan pose, watching Lee run intently. "Now!"

Lee was suddenly gone, leaving a dizzy and slightly battered Cho standing in the middle of the field. Neji rushed forward, not giving her time to recover.

"Hakke Rokujuuyonshou!"

He struck at her chakra points viciously, and I was glad I wasn't his opponent. "Two Palms! Four Palms! Eight Palms! Sixteen Palms! Thirty Two Palms! Sixty Four Palms!"

She dropped to her knees, utterly beaten. Lee once again appeared in a blur, and delivered a swift chop to the back of her head, effectively knocking her out.

We all stood still for a moment, almost expecting her to stand back up again.

Lee let out a whoop, jumping into the air. I grinned in relief. Neji smirked, crossing his arms. I grabbed Cho, tying her up to a tree until Gai told us what to do with her. I gave Lee a high five, who missed my hand the first time because of his sudden hyper energy.

"That was great!" He exclaimed, "We were awesome!"

Neji and I nodded in agreement. The white eyed boy looked towards my arm, seeing the three puncture holes still there.

"Is your arm going to be all right?"

"Yeah, it's already healing." I responded, grinning at him.

"Ah-ha! Your genin ended up beating her, Gai-san!" Kaoru's voice shouted, sounding out of breath, from behind us.

We whipped around, crouching again in a battle-ready position. Kaoru was running towards us, looking thoroughly beat up. Gai wasn't far behind him, his teeth ground together.

"No matter, it works out better for my plans that way!"

He stopped in front of us, his hand outstretched.

"Mind-Body Control!"

"NO!"

Our sensei's voice seemed dulled, almost like the volume was turned down in the middle of his yell.

I felt like I was being shoved back inside myself.

I flinched, and when I re-opened my eyes, the world took on a warped look.

I tried to turn my head, but found that it didn't move like I thought it would. The wall in front of me- that was my usual vision –was part of a stark white room.

Realization hit me in but a few moments.

I was trapped behind the glass.

* * *

**A.N.: Cliffy! Sorry for the wait again. I hope this chapter made up for it… Let me know what you think! Until next time… STAY YOUTHFULL!**


	19. The Triple Lotus

**A.N.: EH? You mean I didn't wait two months this time to update? Well, I guess that makes sense… CONSIDERING I GOT ALMOST-DEATH-NOTES FOR MY CLIFFY LAST CHAPTER! Haha, Special thanks to: **

_**Mej Cat**_**- Who said s/he was going to die if I didn't update soon. *Throws rope to save from falling off cliff***

_**Silver Fang 101**_**- Who said my horrible cliffy was "unyouthful, yet so cool at the same time". *Cries Anime tears, then does nice-guy pose***

_**Piper Julian**_**- Who gave me one of my favorite reviews so far. Very well worded and stated exactly what s/he liked. Thanks!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed~! :D Now, on with the show!**

**IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS CHAPTER****: **"Regular" font equals normal volume. _"Italic" font equals dimmed volume. "_**Bold" font equals loud volume. **(In Naru's Mind)

* * *

My Protector

_Chapter 17 - The Triple Lotus_

_I was trapped behind the glass._

A speck of panic entered my mind. Was this how Akio felt that time he was under control? I watched the glass wall, seeing the outside world with a strange sense of vertigo. Gai was standing in front of me- or my body, rather- an enraged expression on his face. It was scary- _murderous_ even. I had never seen him so angry. It was hard to believe that this man was my sensei, the crazy-youthful guy that was hardly ever serious or anything besides joyful. Gai's mouth moved, and I tried to calm my suddenly rapid breathing to listen to what was going on.

_"- did you do?" _My sensei's voice was muffled. I realized that it sounded like his voice was coming from the room I was in itself, not the warped glass. It was an odd sensation.

"Why, I put your troublesome genin under my mind control, of course. I thought it was obvious."

I jumped, startled at the sound of Kaoru's voice. It was louder, and clearer. It was almost if he was standing right next to me.

_"Release them! Your fight is with me!"_

"No, I don't think I shall. I'd rather have them defeat you. After all, you won't dare hurt these brats you seem to care for so much."

I was suddenly as enraged as Gai-sensei. Kaoru was going to have Gai fight us? How dare he – that slimy – good for – evil –

I saw Gai gape at him in wordless fury. Kaoru took advantage of his moment of silence.

"Well, I never really formally asked your names," he said, presumably from behind my body.

**Walk up to stand in line and say your name last.**

I jumped again. The command came from the ceiling this time. I looked up to see and intricate pattern there. I returned my gaze to the wall of glass, just in time to see Neji step out into my line of sight.

_"Neji."_

I watched in horror as he said his name, sounding muffled like Gai's voice. He was expressionless, his voice devoid of emotion. _Oh, no, Neji…_

Then, another figure stepped forward to stand next to the Hyuuga. The black haired boy stood next to the white eyed boy stiffly. _No, no, no, no, no…_

_"Lee."_

_No! Lee! Not you too!_

The glass image shifted, and I realized my body was walking forward. I looked around the room to see something that I could use to stop my movements, but it was no use. My body stopped next to Lee, facing my sensei. I couldn't feel my mouth moving, but only heard my voice.

_"Naru."_

No! No, no, no! I will not be controlled! I won't! No!

I punched the glass with all my might.

It didn't crack.

"Darn it!" I yelled, beating my fists on the smooth wall.

"_Release them!"_

"I thought I already told you no."

"_I will not fight them!"_

"And I thought you were smarter than you looked."

I looked up from where I had pressed my forehead to the glass. Gai was flicking his black eyes between Neji, Lee and I. I could tell he was barely paying attention to what Kaoru was saying. Gai may be the Taijutsu master of Konoha, but he had a very loose grip on his emotions. It was obvious he was overwhelmed by this new development and was not thinking clearly. He was going to make a rash decision very soon.

"I know you won't hurt them. That is why I won't release them. Simple enough, yes?"

"Gai-sensei!" I yelled, hoping my voice would make it to my body.

It didn't.

"Gai-sensei! Don't listen to him!"

**That's not going to do anything.**

I whipped my head around, searching for the voice. It said nothing more, so I returned to looking out to the world.

"_You – "_ Gai said, unable to form a suitable insult for the man.

"Genius?" Kaoru offered with a pleasant smile.

"_The exact opposite."_

"Well then," Kaoru said, unfazed, "Now that you have that off your chest, why don't I have one of your genin fight you."

Neji stepped foreword. He took up his clan stance in front of Gai, whose hands were shaking.

"_Neji…"_

"NO! Neji! Come on, fight it!"

I pounded my fist once again, "Fight it!"

"Come on! Anything! Please, I have to stop this! Something happen!"

I slid to my knees, still pounding weakly against the glass. Faintly I could hear Gai scuffling around in the dirt, trying to dodge Neji's blows.

_What to do, what to do, whattodo-whattodo-whattodo!_

"No, calm down," I told myself firmly, "Keep a cool head. Iruka-sensei said many times in class that I need to calm down and think about the situation. Okay, think, think, think…"

I took a deep breath.

Okay, I was trapped within my mind or at least a space in my mind. It didn't make sense that this was my mind itself, it _had_ to be just a room. Okay, what else? Three blank walls, one glass wall. Designs on the ceiling, and a blank floor. Okay, breathe.

I leaned back onto my hands, closing my eyes as to avoid watching Gai and Neji fight, knowing it would just upset me again.

Ok, what was I going to do?

It was obvious that I needed some sort of help to get out of this. I couldn't break the glass wall by myself; my own mental strength was too weak against Kaoru's power. There had to be a way to get help.

I stood up and looked around the room again. The designs on the ceiling confused me. I had no idea what it meant, maybe some sort of containment seal? It must be an effect of Kaoru's jutsu.

Looking at the blank walls was disconcerting. It felt stifling, like they were closing in on me.

"Hey, wait a minute," I said out loud, "This still is my mind, isn't it? Even if you had boxed me in a certain part of it, it's still my mind."

The voice didn't answer, most likely focused on controlling Neji.

That or he was too much of a _genius_ to talk to an _"idiotic little girl"_.

I closed my eyes again, focusing on making _something_ happen. It felt like my presence was in two places at once. There was the me that was in this room, and then there was my focus, that was looking through the parts of my mind I could still access.

And there really wasn't a lot I still could get to.

My memories were really the only things that weren't hidden under lock and key in my mind.

… And that didn't help me.

"_No, Lee! Not you too!"_

I whipped my head back around to the glass. Neji stood back beside me and Lee had stepped foreword. Panic was creeping back into my emotions.

_That's it! I need to do something, NOW!_

I concentrated harder, digging deeper.

Deeper…

Deeper…

_Deeper…_

I gasped as red-hot pain enveloped my abdomen. I clutched it as I tried to open my eyes, which were clenched shut. Evil laughter filled my head, and my vision turned crimson behind my lids.

_Kyuubi_.

"**You dare come to me for help?"**

My only response was to gasp again as a deep voice filled my mind. I wasn't so stupid as not to guess who it was.

"**Hahaha! Very well, little human, I shall push you along this time. Be warned, you will regret seeking me out in the future."**

I fell forward as the pain vanished. I opened my eyes just in time to see the stark white room change to red, then return to white just as quickly. On the walls either side of me doors appeared.

I shivered at Kyuubi's warning. I didn't even intend to make my way to its cage, I just stumbled apon it while digging deeper inside myself. I wonder what it meant by regretting it later?

I looked down at the seal I knew was on my stomach. It was still there, but slowly fading. Looking closely at it, I noticed that a small part of it was missing before it faded completely.

Well that's not good.

I was jolted out of my thoughts by the sound of muffled shouting. I looked to the glass wall, seeing Lee and Gai fight.

But from what I could see, no-one was yelling.

I frowned in confusion. Where was it coming from then?

I heard banging next with the yelling. _What the heck…?_

I turned my head to one of the newly formed doors. I hadn't really analyzed the room since my talk with Kyuubi. Really, the only thing different was the two doors.

I stood up and walked over to it. Why would Kyuubi make doors in the room I was in? I pressed my ear to it, trying to make out what the yelling was.

"_Gai-sensei! No! Kaoru, you will not control my body!" _

Lee? Was that really Lee?

I burst open the door, revealing a room exactly like the one I was just in. My green clad best friend was up against his glass wall, pounding on it with his fists.

Relief flooded through me. Getting out of this place didn't seem so hard now.

"L-Lee!" I yelled.

He flung himself around at the sound of my voice. He was suddenly right next to me, hugging me as hard as he could.

"Oh, Naru! You're alright! I was so worried about you! How did you get here? When did that door get there? Oh, we have to get out of here. Gai-sensei is being beaten badly because he does want to strike us."

I petted his head. "Calm down. Yes, I'm alright. I'm glad to have found a way to get to you."

He stepped back and looked at me, "How did you get here?" he repeated.

I shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, w-well, you see… I kind of… accidentallyranintoKyuubi."

He blinked a few times, trying to decode what I said. "You ran into Kyuubi?"

I looked down. "Yes… I was looking for something to help me get out of here when I stumbled across the part of my mind its kept in. I didn't even ask for its help, it just did and said I would regret it later."

He was silent for a moment. Then I was brought into a comforting hug. "It's okay. You didn't even mean to meet it. It's not your fault."

I nodded. Then he stood back again, a grin on his face. "So, should we not make use of this? Is there any way to get to Neji?"

I nodded, thinking of the other door. I grabbed his hand and dragged him through the door to my mind room. I made my towards the other door, pushing it outward when I reached it.

White eyes focused on us when we came in. "How…?"

I sighed. "I had some help from an unwanted source."

He looked confused for a second, then his expression cleared in understanding. "I see. Now is not the time to discuss this. We need to act quickly."

Lee and I walked over to him. "Right. What do you have in mind?"

Neji's brow wrinkled in thought. "Well, considering that you just came from your mind room-" I nodded at his questioning look, "our minds are seemingly connected under Kaoru's control. Now, that said, we could probably 'shatter the glass' so to speak if all three of us at once-"

He was interrupted by the dim command from through the doorway to my mind room.

**Attack your sensei. Kill him if given the chance.**

"K-k-k-k-k-" I stuttered in shock. "Kill him?"

"Looks like he's done playing around," Neji said grimly, then continued in a rushed voice, "Now, I was saying that we could probably break his hold on us if we all hit one of the glass walls at once. I think we should go over to Naru's mind room, in case it doesn't work and only frees her."

I didn't have time to argue, it made sense. After all, it was my body that was attacking right now.

We all sprinted back to my mind. The glass showed my body using Kage bunshin to gang up on Gai.

We positioned ourselves in front of my minds glass, side by side.

"Ok," Neji said, "On the count of three, punch the glass with all your might."

Lee and I nodded, pulling our fists back.

"One."

I tightened my grip.

"Two."

A Kage bunshin came up behind Gai, a kunai poised to stab him in the back of the neck.

"_Three!"_

I thrust my fist foreword just as Neji and Lee did.

Our fists made contact at the same time with bone shattering force. Nothing happened for a moment, then…

A spider web of cracks spread out from each of our fists, covering the surface of the wall. Through the cracked visage I saw the shadow clones that surrounded Gai vanish.

Pieces fell suddenly, crashing down apon us. I heard Kaoru's furious yell inside my mind, but could only focus on it for a moment before I felt like I was being pushed forward.

I closed my eyes, slamming into something. My hearing was normal again, no longer dimming the sounds of the forest. I could hear Gai huffing in front of me, and I opened my eyes to stare up at his relieved face.

I turned to Kaoru, noticing dimly that Neji and Lee were also moving normally again. Kaoru was clutching his head in obvious pain.

"Y-you brats…" he whispered breathlessly.

"Y'know…" I mused out loud, stepping closer to him, "We're getting really tired of being called brats."

Neji smirked, while Lee nodded with a grin.

"And," I continued, "We don't very much appreciate being controlled by a _monster_ like you."

I clicked my fingers twice. _Plan Lotus, Part Two._

Lee and Neji nodded, jumping forward to take their position. Kaoru growled at us, but seemed unable to move because of the damage we made to his mind.

"I-I will not go out like this…" Kaoru said.

"Oh, I think you will," Neji replied smugly. He was confident this battle was over.

I brought my arm down in a swishing motion. Neji jumped forward, hitting Kaoru's chakra points. Waiting a few moments Lee also jumped into the battle, kicking Kaoru towards Lee every time he tried to get away with the little strength he had. Then finally I jumped in, my fist charged with chakra. We all made to hit at the same time, Neji's gentle fist to Kaoru's right side, Lee's kick to his left, and my fist to the back of his neck.

"**T**r_i_**p**l_e_ **L**o_t_**u**s_!_**"**

Dust blew up, covering the still form of the cloud Genjutsu expert. It was instant KO, and he would have been dead if I hadn't released the chakra in my hand at the last minute. I didn't think I was quite ready to make my first kill.

Lee whooped, pumping a fist in the air. "Yeah! No-one can stand up to the awesome team Gai! Teamwork conquers all!"

I laughed in relief. It was over. Kaoru was knocked out cold and there was no more Nin to fight. Gai appeared behind us, cheering as enthusiastically as Lee, the scary enraged persona gone.

"MY YOUTHFUL GENIN! I AM SO PROUD OF YOU! I SHALL RUN ONE HUNDRED LAPS AROUND KONOHA WHEN WE RETURN TO CELEBRATE! I-"

"Okay, okay, we get it." I said amused despite myself.

Gai seemed disheartened for a moment, displeased with being unable to make more ridiculous vows, but jumped back to tie Kaoru to a tree beside Cho.

"I will send a message to Konoha to have him picked up by some youthful ANBU."

Lee turned to Neji and I. He thrust his fist out, meaning to bump it with ours. I readily joined him, while Neji rolled his eyes, but had his hand meet ours all the same. We searched around for something memorable to say.

I snorted. Memorable? I'll say whatever I want to!

"Heck, yes! We rock!"

* * *

(Two Days Later)

"So, if you're leaving, where are you gonna go?"

I was pulling on my back pack, getting ready to depart back to Konoha. Akio, Lee, Neji and Gai were doing the same. I was sad to be leaving the nice villagers, but Gai-sensei said it was time to go.

"Well," Takishi replied, "We were planning on leaving tomorrow, to give us more time to gather all our things. Were going to head for Waterfall country and ask the leader there to build our own village.

"It's time for us to move on. Gato and his employer are not going to be letting up any time soon. Our home country is lost in power, and there is nothing we can do besides leave before we are hunted down or consumed by the lure of power as well."

I was dismayed for the villagers. It wasn't fair that they had to leave because of something to trivial as power. Takishi smiled kindly at me, coming up to put a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't be sad. It'll be better this way."

I nodded, giving him a smile in return. I looked at all the villagers assembled to see us off. It was really heart warming that they all saw fit to stop packing their things to say good-bye. I waved at some of the little kids near the front, who gasped then happily waved back.

"Naru, it's time to go!" Lee yelled, grinning at some of the villagers.

Takishi shifted nervously, "Can you wait for one more minute? He should be here soon…"

I cocked an eyebrow at him confusedly. "Sure…?"

"WHY YES, TAKISHI-SAN! WE SHALL BE HONORED TO STAY ONE MORE MINUTE IF THAT IS-"

"I-I'm here!" Sora yelled, running up to us. "I-I got it."

"Got what?" Neji asked.

Sora grinned, holding up a bag.

"Sora and I noticed that Naru's gloves were cut apart a few days ago and thought it would be a perfect opportunity to express our gratitude." Takishi said, smiling.

He pulled out a six black objects from the bag. Lee and Neji stepped foreword to get a closer look. He gave each of us two of the objects, and I realized that they were leather gloves.

"Since Takishi is a leather worker, and I am a metal worker, we thought we could combine our talents to make a gift for you three." Sora said.

I slipped on the gloves, in awe of their kindness. The gloves themselves were made of black leather, and seemed very durable. They were fingerless, just like my old ones, but instead of cutting off at the wrist, they reached my elbow. There was a long metal plate on the side of each arm, obviously made for blocking, and another plate on the back of each hand. What really caught my eye though, was the symbol on the hand plate.

"A lotus?" I asked, looking up at Takishi and Sora.

"Yes," Sora answered, "We wanted to make you team gloves, so we asked your sensei if you had a team symbol."

I looked over at said sensei, who grinned, his teeth practically 'ping'ing in the sunlight. I shook my head exasperatedly, but couldn't keep the pleased grin off my face. I looked over at Lee and Neji, who were both wearing their gloves as well.

"The lotus is said to grow in any conditions, even the most harsh. Ironic, isn't it?" Neji said, smirking and flexing his fingers.

Lee grinned, pumping a fist in the air, "It's a perfect symbol for us! Thank you for this marvelous gift~!"

I practically glomped Takishi and Sora, thanking them a million times. They both laughed, returning my hug.

"Now, don't think we forgot you two," Sora said, turning to Akio and Gai. Takishi pulled out another pair of gloves from the bag that were exactly like ours, but with tan leather. The symbol on the hand plate was also different, a sun. He handed them to Akio, who thanked him profusely.

"Your name means 'bright', right?" Sora asked, motioning to the sun symbol. Akio nodded fervently, slipping the gloves on.

"Thank you very much, sir!" Akio said, happier than I've seen him all trip. Now that Kaoru was taken care of Akio could finally live unburdened, and it showed in his attitude. He was more open and happy then before, and I was glad he was coming back with us.

Then Takishi pulled out the last item from the bag, handing it to Gai. It was a forehead protector made of black leather and a lotus symbol like on our gloves. Gai beamed and quickly strapped it to his arm. We were truly a team now.

"Okay team! We must dilly-dally no longer! It is time for us to depart!" Gai exclaimed, herding us to the road.

I turned around, walking backwards. "Bye everyone! We'll never forget you!"

They all returned the farewell, waving at us as we left. I grinned, turning back around.

It was a good feeling, being able to help these people. I feel we did the right thing. Looking back to the start of the mission, I was just a timid girl right out of the Academy. Now, I was a true shinobi, confident in my abilities and my team.

"It's a three days run from here to Konoha." Neji said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"I propose that we can make it in _two_ days!"

"Wha…?"

"No! You have proven yourselves youthful enough! We can make it in one day!"

"G-Gai-sensei!"

* * *

**A.N.: Well, there you go! The end of the ark! The part about Kyuubi will be important later, so remember it! There's gonna be a time skip up next, just to forewarn you. Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. Until then… STAY YOUTHFUL!**

**BTW: Is anyone ready for some fluff? :D**


	20. Two of the Same

**A.N.: Man, am I excited! I was excited for the last ark and sad it was over, but I'm super happy to be starting….**

***drumroll***

**THE CHUUIN EXAM ARK!**

**Yes! It's here! I'm just gonna get on with it and start.**

**

* * *

**

My Protector

_Chapter 18 – Two of the Same_

_**(One Year Later)**_

I yawned, stretching my arms above my head as I walked toward the training grounds. It had been a year since team Gai's famed Rice mission, and a lot of things had changed. I took the quiet time I had alone at the moment (which I didn't get nor want a lot of) to muse over the events of the past year.

When we returned to our home village we had our first "official" mission report. The elderly Hokage listened quietly to Gai's explanation, with Neji, Lee and I made occasional input. The Sandaime speared Akio with a searching look as the tale came to his part, the poor boy shifting uncomfortably. He listened as Akio recounted his story to him, nodding solemnly every once in a while. As I expected, Jiji almost immediately accepted him into the village, abet with some conditions.

Akio had been put into his own apartment, which was right next to mine. I had been put in charge of his welfare by the Hokage. I was surprised by this, and when I had asked about it he merely said that I was an official 'adult' of Konoha and that he would classify it as a mission. By the look in his eyes, though, I could tell that he just wanted Akio to be comfortable, but had to have someone keeps tabs on him so the council wouldn't complain, at least until Akio became a genin. (And of course he sometimes had ANBU checking in on him to make sure he wasn't plotting against the village.)

Akio had decided that he still wanted to be a ninja, despite his troubled past with them. He was enrolled at the Academy, and was determined to do his best. I had often visited him while going to see Hinata, Kiba, Shino and Sasuke.

Turning my thoughts to my team, I smiled fondly. We were somewhat famous around the village for our C-turned-A-rank mission. We were often called "Team Lotus" because of our matching gloves, mostly by our generation, but to the majority we were still team Gai.

Neji had rushed home after we got back, eager and nervous to talk with his uncle. From what the older boy told me, his uncle was startled by his questioning, but was vastly relieved. He had been stressing over when to speak with his nephew, and was glad Neji brought it up first. It turned out that my hunch was correct. Neji's father volunteered himself to be sacrificed, and was eager to help out his clan. Neji seemed more at peace after he came to training the next day, and I was glad it all worked out. The Hyuuga also went with me the next time I visited my Academy friends, apologizing to Hinata, who in turn stuttered out her forgiveness with a shy smile.

Neji's new attitude made working as a team almost as effortless as breathing, as we demonstrated in our battle with Kaoru. Neji had become more of an older brother to me, and was not as awkward in our conversations. He had even opened up to Lee and I, and we were all close friends. Enough so for Neji to scold Lee and I on our messy eating habits every once in a while…

The only thing that hadn't seemed to change was my best friend. Besides getting several inches taller, he was still pretty much the same. Of course, all of us on team Gai had improved our skills vastly in the past year, but Lee didn't seem to go over any major personality changes, for which I was immensely glad for.

"What are you doing here?" a shrill shriek jolted me out of my musings.

I re-focused on what I was doing and noticed I had made it to my destination. Today, instead of heading to my normal training grounds to be with team Gai, I was training with the rookie team 7. My old Academy class had graduated six months ago, joining the ranks of genin.

Akio had graduated near the bottom of the class sadly, mostly because of his lack of book knowledge. I didn't let him feel down for too long; telling him that the written tests were rigged and I barely passed it myself. I didn't tell him it was mostly because I just freak out when someone just mentions a test. Shudder.

Sasuke and Sakura were placed on his team under one Copy Ninja. And this brought me back to why I was training with team seven today. Every once in a while Gai sent me over to them to have Kakashi help me with some ninjutsu. I was more inclined to using ninjutsu, besides being placed on a mostly taijutsu based team. It didn't mess up our teamwork at all, if anything, it made it better. There were just some things that Gai couldn't teach me, and Kakashi (surprisingly) offered to train me with his team every so often. I wondered why at first, but then realized that it would be just as good for his students as is for me. Since I had been a genin for longer, and thus had more experience, I unconsciously found myself giving them little tidbits of advice and help in their training. That sly Jounin was using me as a teaching tool while training me.

"Hello Naru." Sasuke said, smiling slightly at me. Sasuke and I spent more time together since he graduated, much to his fan girls' anger. And really, most of the time we just trained, and it wasn't like I was trying to steal him away from them. He was still very quiet, but it wasn't a sort of broody silence, more like he just proffered to observe. He was a good friend, but not really my type of guy. That didn't stop Sakura from hating me, however.

Ever since a certain lazy ninja let slip that I was the cause of Sasuke's change in attitude she's been after my blood. I believe it happened during their introductions, when Sasuke said absolutely nothing about killing his brother. Kakashi noticed and mumbled a _"So Naru's talked to you, ne?"_ just loud enough for the genin to hear. This sent Sakura into an angry frenzy and caused me to run for my life.

"What are you doing here, blondie?" Sakura screeched again, reminding me of her presence. My eyebrow twitched, from the loudness of her voice and the 'blondie' comment.

"I'm training with you guys today, if that's okay with you." The last part was sarcastic, aimed at the pinkette. She opened her mouth to yell what I was certain a 'Heck no, it's not okay with me!' before Sasuke cut her off.

"Sure, we always like training with you, _don't we Sakura?"_

"Of course Sasuke-kun."

I snickered and rolled my eyes at her puppy-dog like behavior. I looked around the bridge that they met at, looking for a certain green eyed brunette.

"Akio's not here yet?" I asked, looking back to the Uchiha.

He shook his head, leaning on the railing, a pose that his fan girls think is 'cool'. I glanced at Sakura to see that she was indeed drooling over him, and I shook my head with an exasperated sigh. I had tried to get through to her that she has to stop being such a fan girl and start being a kunoichi. But, she just brushed me off with a scoff and walked away. I had hoped that she would have changed after team seven's C-turned-B-mission (ironic, no?) to Wave country, but she had not. I don't know what it would take for her to wake up.

I heard rushed footsteps behind me and smiled. Soon enough, Akio came up from behind me, smiling. He had opened up even more after we reached Konoha, and he was almost a completely different boy than the frightened eleven year old I met a year ago.

"Hey Naru! Are you going to train with us today?"

"Yep." I responded, grinning foxily at him. He nodded and walked over to sit on the railing beside Sasuke. Said dark haired boy nodded at him, getting a smile in return. Sasuke and Akio had become friends back in the Academy, Akio being one of the only ones who shared some interests with the Uchiha. They were both somewhat quiet, Akio being a little more talkative. They were just enough alike and different to make good friends.

I hopped up on the railing on Sasuke's other side, waiting in silence for their teacher. I had learned soon after I started working with team seven that Kakashi had a knack for being late for everything. I hadn't really noticed before, because whenever I trained with him before, we didn't really have a set time. How can you be late for something not planned ahead of time? I didn't really find his quirk annoying like most others did, it was actually quite funny. And I amused myself with coming up with witty comebacks to his lame excuses. It was our own little game.

A puff of smoke appeared in front of us, revealing the tardy Kakashi. He eye-smiled at us, raising a hand in a wave.

"Yo."

"YOU'RE LATE!"

"Maa, I got lost of the road of life."

He looked expectantly at me, and I provide him with my comeback.

"That road is pretty scenic, isn't it?"

His road of life excuse was the easiest to reply to. The other ones, however…

Akio snickered, while Sakura seethed. I just winked and grinned.

"Ahhh, Naru-chan! How nice of you to join us today!" He said, eye smiling again. I faintly heard Sakura mutter something about 'if you call that nice' under her breath, but I ignored it.

Kakashi then told his students to practice tree climbing while he got me started. In the past year he had taught me five new jutsu, two of which were wind based and the other three water based. There weren't very many wind jutsu, due to the fact there weren't many wind type users. But, Kakashi started teaching me to manipulate my elemental chakra, saying that I could make up my own jutsu when I did.

And I _really_ liked the sound of that.

Kakashi lead me over to where the rest of team seven went to practice tree climbing, ignoring their curious looks.

"So! Have you been practicing the leaf exercise?" He asked.

"Yep! Watch!" I exclaimed, snatching a leaf from the tree above me. I placed it in between my hands, barely having to concentrate at all. When I moved my hands the leaf was cut cleanly in half. I showed it to my adopted sensei proudly, who patted me on the head.

"Good job. Now we can move onto step two."

He then led me to a nearby tree and told me to apply the same principle, just at a larger scale. I looked at his quizzically, but then just shrugged and did as told. Placing my hands on the tree, I charged my hand with wind chakra, pushing it out onto the tree. When I removed my hand, there was only a small cut on the bark.

"Now keep trying until you can cut down the whole tree in one slice."

I sighed and made some shadow clones to start on some other trees (they help you learn faster, I found out by accident a while ago).

I had a feeling this would be a _long_ day.

* * *

I walked down the street (alone again), my arms resting comfortably behind my head. I had finished training with team seven today and was now on my way to go grocery shopping. I groaned mentally at the thought… I _hate_ shopping.

I was brought out of my internal moanings by a cardboard box coming up behind me somewhat stealthily. I glanced behind me at it.

"Wha…? Konohamaru! Is that supposed to be a rock?"

It exploded at my exclamation, revealing three troublesome Academy students, all wearing black fingerless gloves like I used to wear.

"So you saw through our disguise! Only what I would expect from my nee-chan!" The middle boy yelled, obviously Konohamaru.

It was silent for a moment. Konohamaru nudged the girl next to him, whispering something in her ear furiously. The orange haired girl got an 'oh!' look on her face before she stepped forward with a pose.

"The cutest girl in Konoha's Academy, Moegi!"

"I love math, Udon!"

"And leader of the Konohamaru Corps, Konohamaru!"

I shook my head exasperatedly. "Do you really have to do that every time you see me? I already know your names…"

"So? We do it for dramatic effect, nee-chan!" Konohamaru said with an almost-pout.

"Ah," I amended, an amused grin in place, "Sorry, I forgot."

"Will you play ninja with us today, nee-chan?" Moegi begged, latching onto my arm with some full blown puppy-dog eyes. "You promised last week that you would."

I scratched the back of my head. "I did, didn't I?"

All three nodded furiously, Konohamaru taking my other arm and Udon sitting at my feet.

_Shopping, playing ninja, shopping, playing ninja, shop_- Oh, who am I kidding! I'd rather play ninja!

"Yeah, sure." I said, watching their faces light up.

"Great! For this scenario you have to catch us after you count to eighty!"

_So basically hide-and-seek-tag? _

They ran off down the secluded street I was walking on while I started counting. I didn't get far before I heard Konohamaru's shout of pain and surprise.

"Hey, brat! Who do you think you are?"

I snapped my eyes open and ran in the direction they did. As I tuned a corner I say a tall boy with a lot of face paint holding Konohamaru several feet off the ground by his collar, while Udon and Moegi stood at the side-lines. An equally tall girl stood behind him, a huge fan strapped to her back. Each of them wore a Suna hitai-ate.

_Suna nin? Oh, for the chuunin exams. Gai-sensei gave us our forms yesterday._

The boy drew back his fist, "I'll teach you to respect your superiors!"

I jumped forward before he could do anything else, grabbing his fist. I ignored the fact that I was barely tall enough to do so. (stupid short-ness!)

"It wouldn't be a good idea for foreigners to go beating up on Konoha's Academy students."

"She's right Kankuro," the girl said to 'Kankuro', "What if Gaara found out?"

"Gaara's not here, Temari," Kankuro said, trying to shake me off.

"It still isn't a good idea to be beating up the Hokage's grandson." I retorted.

"What's going on, Naru?"

I glanced behind me, seeing my two teammates walking closer, dango sticks in their hands. They must've just got off training.

Neji narrowed his eyes at Kankuro as they walked up beside me, waking in his offensive stance.

"Any reason why you're holding the Hokage's grandson hostage, Suna nin?"

Kankuro glared at him while Temari tensed. This wasn't going to turn out good…

"All you Konoha brats need to learn to respect those who are better than you."

Lee and I both bristled at the insult to our skills, while Neji took on a full glare.

"Kankuro, this really isn't a good idea…" Temari said, taking a step foreword and placing a hand on his arm. He just shrugged her off and released Konohamaru, who promptly ran behind me.

He then reached behind him and grabbed a mummy looking item that I didn't notice before. All three of us tensed, while Temari gaped.

"Kankuro, you're really being an idiot!"

"Shut up, Temari! I ought' a teach these punks a lesson."

"Both of you shut up or I'll kill you."

We all whipped around at the new voice. A red headed, emotionless boy was hanging on the underside of the tree to our right, a huge gourd on his back. He disappeared in a whirl of sand, reappearing in front of Kankuro and Temari.

When I looked at him I felt a weird… Pull? No, more like a familiarity. Like I knew him before. But I'm sure I've never seen him before…

"What is your name?" he asked after a moment of silence.

I assumed he meant me because he was staring straight at me.

"Uzumaki Naru. You?"

"Sabaku no Gaara."

We stared in silence at each other before Neji broke it.

"And you two?"

"Sabaku no Temari."

"Sabaku no Kankuro. You?"

I raised an eyebrow. Siblings?

"Hyuuga Neji."

"Rock Lee!"

Despite the tense atmosphere, Lee still managed a dazzling grin.

All three siblings nodded. Gaara hadn't moved his aqua eyes from me. It was unnerving.

**Shukaku…**

I jumped, clutching my stomach. Shukaku? As in the demon? Then is Gaara… a jinchuuriki? Gaara's eyes widened almost imperceptibly before tightening in a glare.

"I suppose we'll see you in the exams then." Neji said after casting me a look.

"Mother says you are strong. Why?" Gaara said, ignoring Neji.

Mother? Does he have contact with the Shukaku?

"Ah… Um…"

"No matter." He said, glaring more ferociously, "I'll kill you anyway."

Kankuro and Temari gasped, taking a step back.

Gaara didn't do anything for a moment, then turned and started walking in the other direction. "It will have to wait until the exams. I hope you will give a good fight, Uzumaki Naru."

Temari and Kankuro gave me scared looks before following after him. We stayed perfectly still until they rounded the corner, after which Lee gave a sigh of relief. He opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off before he could.

"Konohamaru, Udon, Moegi, it seems I can't play with you today. How about tomorrow?"

They nodded shakily, turning and walking off without protest. I turned back to my teammates with a sigh.

"What was that all about?" Lee asked, "Are you alright."

I rubbed my stomach where I knew my seal was. The Kyuubi had been inputting unwanted comments every month or so since our Rice mission. I was correct in saying that the seal was somewhat weaker.

"Naru?" Neji asked, a hint of concern showing.

"We need to stay away from him as much as we can during the exams."

"What? Why?" Lee asked, blinking confusedly.

I stared at them both with a serious expression. "Because he's like me."

I knew they got what I meant by their expressions.

"Really? But… but you're not bloodthirsty like he seems to be. I mean, he threatened to kill you! "

I nodded sadly.

"That's right. But… I haven't given in like he has."

There was silence as they took that in. Neji sighed and started walking down the way I came.

"Well, let's think about that later."

Lee and I both nodded, walking after him. Lee slung his arm through mine, jumping back to his cheery persona. We walked silently to town for a while until I broke the quiet.

"Anyone up for some ramen?"

* * *

**A.N.: Yeeeep… Well, that's that I guess… Oh! I almost forgot! One of my reviewers (Who is awesome, I might add) said it was hard to stay youthful without a green jumpsuit. Soo…. *unloads box of ordered jumpsuits* Here you go! Now that you are properly equipped… Review and STAY YOUTHFUL!**


	21. Let the Exam Begin!

**A.N.: *Pulls at hair* Erk. I'm kinda struggling with transitioning Lee and Naru's relationship. Hopefully it will work out… Let me know if you have any ideas, I NEED THEM! Oh, and thanks for all the reviews last chapter! I'm now at 150 reviews! *Confetti* Now lets shoot for 200, Neh?

* * *

**

My Protector

_Chapter 19 – Let the Exams Begin!_

"NARU! YOUR YOUTH HAS DIMMED! YOU ARE LATE FOR OUR MISSION SELECTION!"

I winced with a sigh. I just _had_ take an extra long shower this morning, didn't I? "We can't do any missions today, sensei."

The erratic green clad man paused, blinking. Then, he snapped back, grinning proudly at me. "Yosh! That was a test for you, my dear student! Remind me why we must not partake in the giving out of missions this day so I can better test your knowledge!"

I sighed again. He forgot.

"Due to Konoha rules, any genin that are planning on going to the chuunin exams, which are _tomorrow_ by the way, are not allowed to take on any missions the day before exams and must either train or rest."

"Right-o Naru! Your youth shines brighter than a thousand suns!"

Neji sighed from his seat on a training log. Neji and I seemed to sigh a lot around Gai. I think it was mostly habit.

Our crazy teacher was now ordering us sixty laps around Konoha. All three of us started without complaint. Gai was actually toning it down a few notches, he didn't want us to get overly tired before the exams, but taking a day off just because of the chuunin exams was a no-no in his book of youth.

Yet… Yet, as crazy and spastic our teacher was, we couldn't help but feel extremely fond of him. None of us said it out loud, but… He was like an adopted father to all of us, as corny as it sounds. All three members of team Gai have no parents, and Gai happily filled that role with just being our sensei. In his own awkward way, that is.

It goes without saying that if you insult Gai you have to deal with team Lotus.

And team Lotus deals with those who insult Gai _harshly_.

I trotted to a stop in front of Gai, breathing somewhat evenly still. He gave a dazzling grin to all three of us.

"Okay! Now you shall work on your own. Whatever you feel you need to work on before the exams."

I immediately walked over to a nearby tree to practice my elemental manipulation. Making twenty shadow clones I set to work.

* * *

_(One day later - Day of the Exams)_

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Be-__**SMASH**__!_

I groaned as I rolled out of bed, contenting myself with lying on the floor for a few minutes. Why did I insist on setting that infernal alarm? Lee would be here soon anyway.

Lee still came to wake me up every morning, though most of the time I was already up. I didn't appreciate getting water dumped on me while asleep.

Today, however, it was much earlier than our usual time. We had decided that we would get up a few hours before we had to meet the rest of team Gai for training to get some last minute practice in. I had a feeling that we'd just end up sparring to try to improve my taijutsu. My skills mostly relied on my ninjutsu. Taijutsu, however, was merely average for me. Not as much so it would be counted as a weakness, but it was below all my other skills, excluding Genjutsu. Genjutsu was by far my worst ninja skill.

I lifted my head from the ground, craning my neck to see the wall clock. I let it fall back down, bumping my head painfully.

"You broke another alarm clock, didn't you?"

The front door slammed, indicating that Lee was here.

The amusement and exasperation in my best friend's voice didn't escape me. I grunted in confirmation, slowly waking up fully. He laughed loudly, pulling me up off the ground. I blinked sleepily at him, yawning widely. I shook out of it, stumbling my way to the bathroom to change clothes.

"Hurry up, Naru! We have to get going if we want to get anything done before we have to meet Neji for the exams."

"Oh, be quiet, you… you unnatural-morning-person!"

"Is that the best you can come up with?"

I growled, "At the moment, yes."

"Fine! Then you're an unnatural-un-morning-person!"

I walked out of the bathroom fully dressed, an eyebrow raised. "That was lame."

He mock-glared at me from the kitchen, pouting. I laughed, grabbing the ramen that was sitting on the counter. I slurped it up in seconds, tossing the empty container to the trash bin in the corner. I turned back to Lee, who was munching on some dango he stole from my fridge.

He grinned at me, throwing the cleaned off dango stick into the trash. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah, sure."

We walked out the door, locking it behind us. Lee smiled cheekily, winking.

"Wanna race?"

"I don't know why I always agree, you always win."

"Come on, please?"

I rolled my eyes with a foxy grin. "Three… two… one… GO!"

"You always run on 'one' instead of 'go'! Cheater!"

"If I _always_ go on one, what don't you as well?"

"Uh… Point taken."

* * *

_Jump, kick, dodge, thump, punch, dodge, smack!_

I grunted when I was hit once again with another one of Lees punches. He hit hard, and didn't hold back. Very much, at least. Only enough that he didn't break bones.

I felt the newly formed bruise being healed immediately, leaving nothing in its place. I was extremely glad that all the members of team Gai learned about the Kyuubi early on. If they hadn't, it would be hard to explain why I healed so fast. I didn't think Neji would've believed that it was a bloodline of sorts.

Lee waited patiently for me to recover, standing at the ready. I sighed, then jumped back into the fight.

He dodged the fist I sent at him easily, catching the second punch. He twisted my arm slightly, making me wrench my hand out of his grip. He swung a kick at me, making me duck under it. An idea flashed through my mind, making me smirk. I stood at my full height again, grabbing Lee's leg before he could finish the kick. Lee's dark eyes widened as I used his momentum to bring my body to his side quickly. Using my advantage I sent a leg sweep at him, pushing his legs out from under him.

The next part seemed to happen in slow motion. With nothing to support him he fell towards me, effectively pushing me towards the ground. My back hit the ground painfully, knocking the breath out of my lungs. My head hit next, leaving me dazed for a moment.

When I blinked away the stars in my vision I noticed that I was looking straight into shocked black eyes.

_ Four inches from my face._

I sucked in a shocked breath. Our noses were touching, if only barely. A foreign feeling twinged in my stomach, and I wondered what it was.

Then, time went back into motion and reality kicked in. Both our faces turned crimson and Lee jumped off me as if electrocuted. The black haired boy recovered first, offering a hand up. I took it and let myself be tugged upright.

_What the heck was that?_

Our blushes faded with our awkwardness as we continued our spar. I dimly heard Lee say that it was almost time to go to the Academy and that we should head to our houses to get any last minute supplies. I nodded half-mindedly, walking back to my apartment, calling a 'See you there!' over my shoulder.

As I gathered my supplies I couldn't get my mind off the sudden feeling in my stomach. I had no idea what it was, or what it meant.

Shrugging on my pack, I decided that it wasn't important and was best not to dwell on it.

* * *

"Okay guys," I said, huddled by the Academy doors, "We're still going to go with plan 'A', right?"

Neji and Lee nodded, both looking determined.

Plan 'A', as mentioned, was the play-it-safe-and-don't-get-into-fights-and-hide-your-true-skills-as-much-as-possible plan.

Yeah, it's a mouthful. Which is why we shortened it to plan 'A'.

Plan 'B', our backup plan, was to intimidate the competition by using flashy (but not particularly destructive) jutsu or other skills. But of course this was to be only used if plan 'A' failed.

Yeah, _right_. That's what we kept telling ourselves.

Neji stepped from our circle, shifting towards the Academy doors. "Are you both ready?"

"Yeah!" Lee grinned, doing a good imitation of Gai's 'ping'ing smile. Neji and I both shivered.

"Let's do this thing!"

As soon as we walked through the Academy doors we lost our confident stride, replacing it with a timid, insecure aura. We wanted to look small and insignificant, so people's gazes would pass over us.

Basically, we wanted to be over looked until the last possible moment.

I glanced at the forms I held in my hand. It says to turn them in on the third floor, room 310. We climbed the stairs, ignoring the various genin teams scattered throughout the first floor.

I took a moment to ponder about the exam. It was our first, despite being genin for more than a year. We didn't enter in the exams last year, though Gai gave us the choice to. It was actually me that decided not to. I was only eleven at the time, and didn't feel ready to participate. I had felt really bad about it for a while, but Neji and Lee both told me that they didn't think that they were ready as well. It was decided that we would wait a year and train as hard as we could to be better prepared.

Someone grabbed the back of my shirt, stopping my movements. I looked behind me, seeing that it was Neji that was holding onto me.

"What?"

"This is the wrong floor; we need to go up one."

I looked to where tons of genin were crowded around a door that said 310. Two other genin stood in front of the doorway, blocking the way through. Loud complaints were heard, along with swears and shouting.

"But… It says room 310 on our forms…"

"Look closely at the sign."

I focused on it like he said. I didn't notice anything unusual for a moment, then I picked up an unnatural shimmering.

"Oh, a Genjutsu?"

The Hyuuga nodded.

Lee grinned "It's a test before the test."

We ignored the mob of people, escaping to the next floor. There were far less people on this floor, most of them heading inside the real room 310. We followed, coming into a large room with a few people in it, and lots of tables and chairs set up. What could that be for?

I froze momentarily when I felt a wave of killing intent aimed at me. Tilting my head slightly to see the source, I noticed that the Sand team was already present. Gaara was glaring at me, obviously the one channeling the intent. Temari and Kankuro gave me fearful looks when they saw Gaara's glare. _'You're gonna die,'_ was clearly stated in their eyes.

I turned away again to resume following my teammates to a corner of the room. They gave me curious looks, but I just answered with an eye-flick in Gaara's direction. They both followed my look, tensing momentarily when they saw who I was indicating.

We watched quietly as the room slowly filled up. I was bored until a saw some familiar faces enter.

Team ten (Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji) came in, followed soon by team eight (Kiba, Shino and Hinata). Not to long after that team seven came in. I had heard rumors (*cough*Gai-sensei*cough*) that all three rookie teams were entering this year, but I wasn't too sure. But, I guess I had proof now.

"Hey, we should go visit them." I said, looking to Neji and Lee for approval.

"That may be a good idea. From what I have heard, this exam will be really tough, so we will need as many allies as we can get." Neji replied, always the logical one.

Lee and I both rolled our eyes but nodded as well. We walked over to them, ignoring the sets of eyes that watched our progress across the room. It seems some teams were being super paranoid and watching every move _everyone_ made.

"Hey guys, glad to see you here."

Kiba jumped, as I was standing right behind him. Ino and Sakura immediately started screeching at me, making everyone's ears bleed. So much for remaining inconspicuous…

Ignoring the two banshees, Kiba greeting us enthusiastically, with a loud "Hey, Naru! And Neji! And Lee!"

"Hello Naru-san. How are you?" Shino asked quietly.

"I'm fine, Shino. And you?"

"I am well."

"H-hey N-N-Naru-chan."

"Hey Hinata. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Y-yes."

"Akio! How have you been?"

"Pretty good. What about you, Lee?"

"I have been very well, thank you!"

"You're all troublesome."

"Everything's troublesome to you, Shika."

"…"

"Don't ignore us, blondie!"

"Don't call me that!"

"*sigh* It's no wonder we don't meet up very often"

"That's right Sasuke-kun! That annoying blonde ruins everything!"

"*munch* Ino, you're a blonde too."

Ino's retort was cut off by a new voice entering the flurry of chatter. "You rookies should keep it down. You're attracting a lot of attention."

We turned to a silver haired boy that had come up behind us. He looked to be about sixteen, maybe seventeen. He wore perfectly round glasses, giving him a slightly nerdy appearance. His headband depicted the Leaf symbol.

My eyes narrowed, along with Lee's. We had experience with people who weren't what they seemed. This shinobi had something off about him, and we were set on edge.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked, slightly suspicious as well.

"I'm Kabuto. Nice to meet you."

No-one said anything, so he continued.

"As I was saying, you guys should keep it down. This isn't some play-date. There are a lot of tough competitors here."

"But," He added, "Since you _are_ just rookies, I'd be willing to help you guys out."

"Help us how?" Kiba spoke up.

Kabuto pulled out a deck of cards from his kunai holster. "With these. They're my 'nin info cards'. I have information on all the genin here."

"Really?" Lee asked, curious despite his suspicions.

Kabuto nodded. "I've become pretty adept at collecting info. This is my seventh time at this exam, so I've found it helpful to get my information before it starts."

Almost all of us raised our eyebrows_. Is the exam really that hard?_

"So, any one you want to know more about?"

"Sabaku no Gaara," I said, drawing attention to me.

"You even know their name. Less fun for me."

He pulled out a blank card with a dramatic flourish. Then the card faded into Gaara's stats.

"Sabaku no Gaara. He's from Sand, on a team with his siblings Temari and Kankuro. He can control sand at will and is said to have an ultimate defense. Ten D-Rank missions, sixteen C-rank missions, and one B-rank and A-rank. Whoa, that's pretty rare for a genin. And get this; it says here that he came back without a scratch on him."

The rookie teams looked wide-eyed at Kabuto, while my team wasn't very surprised. It just further confirmed my theory that Gaara was a fellow jinchuuriki.

"Anyone else?" Kabuto asked, looking at us with a friendly smile.

No-one spoke for a moment, then Sakura stepped forward. "Uzumaki Naru."

I gaped at her, along with half of the other genin. "W-what the heck, Sakura?"

She glared at me, "If he reads your card then it will show everyone what a loser you really are."

I grumbled angrily, but didn't stop Kabuto when he pulled out another card. This one faded into my stats, showing my picture from a year ago.

"Uzumaki Naru. She's from Konoha, as I'm sure you already knew. She was placed on team Gai, or Team Lotus as they are sometimes known as, with Hyuuga Neji and Rock Lee a year ago. Taijutsu is average, as is her stealth. Ninjutsu is way above average, while Genjutsu is below average. One hundred and six D-ranked missions, twenty C-ranked, and one A-ranked. On a side note here it says that she has a talent for modifying jutsu and catching people off guard."

"There, happy now?" I asked Sakura, who was shocked that I wasn't a 'loser' like she was so convinced I am.

"Anyone else?" Kabuto asked, "No? Well then, I guess I have enough time to show you which countries nins are here. There are two teams from Kumo, three teams from Cloud, and two teams from Sand. Of course, there's still a bunch from other minor countries like Sound, but I don't think their all that tough. I think the biggest threat would be the Sand teams."

"Minor country, eh?"

An arm came out of no-where, heading straight at Kabuto. I guess we weren't the only ones listening in to the older boy. Kabuto dodged the arm, but as he did the armor plating the enemy nin had on gave a subtle pulse. You couldn't even tell if you weren't paying attention.

Kabuto fell to the ground, vomiting. The attacker smirked, walking back to his also smirking teammates. "Teach you to call Sound a minor country."

The rookie genin were shocked, then fearful. They obviously thought Kabuto was tougher then they and he was easily thrown to the ground by one attack. I looked at Hinata. She was disheartened, making herself as small as possible. Even Kiba looked doubtful about taking the test.

An idea popped into my head and I groaned quietly to myself. Neji and Lee both heard it, and they smirked and grinned respectively.

I heard Lee whisper to Neji as I drug in a huge breath. "I didn't think we'd be going onto plan 'B' so soon into the test."

"OKAY, LISTEN UP YOU PEOPLE! MY NAME IS UZUMAKI NARU AND I AM IN THE SPRINGTIME OF MY YOUTH AND MY YOUTHFULNESS WILL POUND YOU ALL INTO DUST!"

A hundred glares were suddenly focused on me. I heard a faint "I am so proud of you, my youthful student!" but dismissed it as hearing things. All the Konoha genin were now grinned and/or laughing at my speech. I didn't have a chance to say anything else as a bunch of chuunin poofed into existence.

"QUIET DOWN YOU MAGGOTS! IT'S TIME FOR THE WRITTEN TEST!"

The grin slipped off my face.

"Wha…? NO!"

* * *

**A.N.: Haha, I personally loved the ending. What'd ya think about the stuff between Lee and Naru? Was it too sudden? Please review! *Throws orange leg warmers into crowd* STAY YOUTHFUL!**

**P.S. I haven't gone through for spelling mistakes and such yet. I'm to lazy. If you see any, let me know!**


	22. Oh, the Woes of the Written Exam

**A.N.: Whoa! It's been a while, neh? And, WOW! It's finally the 20****th**** chapter! I'm pretty excited! When I started this story, I never thought it would be as popular as it is! A lot of people have also said this story makes them appreciate our favorite green clad ninja more, and I'm super happy about that! I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone for sticking with me thus far. Without any more ramblings, onto the next chapter!**

* * *

My Protector

_Chapter __**20**__ – Oh, the Woes of the Written Exam_

I barely listened to the scarred Jounin's explanation after we sat down. I was going into major-super-I'mgonnafreakout-panic-mode. A written test? Just throw me into a bucket of acid!

I was smart enough, I guess. Enough so to get through the Academy's written test a year early, but from what Iruka-sensei said, only barely so. Memorizing facts and history and junk wasn't my forte. I tugged at my blonde hair in frustration, ignoring Hinata's concerned look from beside me.

I pushed down my panic to listen to the end of the Jounin's- Ibiki, I think he said name was- instruction: "And it is automatic forfeit for you _and_ your team if you get caught cheating."

I almost started banging my head on the table. What, if I fail, I bring Neji and Lee down with me? Oh, dang it all!

"G-good luck, Naru-chan," Hinata whispered from beside me as two chuunin went about passing out the exam. I managed to give her a small, strained smile before resuming tearing my hair out.

I took in a forced calming breath and looked around the room, tapping my finger nervously. I was three rows from the back, the majority of the entrants being in front of me. I then looked for my teammates, spotting the shiny black haired head of Lee two rows before me to the left and Neji's brown hair near the front of the classroom.

After confirming their positions I took up some deep breathing exercises to keep me at least somewhat calm until the start of the test. A chuunin set down a piece of paper in front of me and my breathing hitched. I tapped my finger more furiously, and several nearby people gave me annoyed looks.

"A-are you o-okay, N-Naru-chan?" came from my left.

I looked at the shy girl, abruptly stopping my nervous habit. "Y-yeah, I'll be-"

"QUIET DOWN!" Ibiki yelled, cutting me off. Now that I took the time to look at him, he was quite scary. Scars covered his face, partly hidden by the bandana on his head. He was glaring at me, probably because of my finger tapping. I shivered a little bit at the K.I. he was sending at me. This guy didn't mess around…

"Now, you have forty five minutes. Start!"

Everyone flipped their pages over hurriedly, and I followed their example reluctantly. I wrote my name in the slot at the top, then looked over the first question.

_If an enemy is 500 meters from you, and there is a wind going left at 60 MPH, how much force would you need to throw senbon needles with chakra strings attached to hit the enemy in the shoulder?_

I stared at the question for a moment. Okay, that was impossible. I looked down at question two to find it was just as hard-if not _harder_-as the first. I tugged at my fringe, reading through all the questions. They got harder with each one, which made my wonder how hard the last question was, which was blank except for _'The tenth question will be given orally at the end of the test.'_

If I were Gai, I would say that these questions are very _unyouthful_.

Now that I had seen the questions, I wasn't as nervous. The logical side of me was kicking in, and I was using my brain for something other than panicking.

Okay, so these questions were obviously above genin level. Why would they assign a test that is almost impossible to pass? Cheating seemed the only possible solution…

But, the protractor said we couldn't… _Get caught_ cheating! That doesn't mean we can't cheat, does it? It was almost like they were encouraging us to cheat. Which, they probably were, to test our stealth and ability to look 'underneath the underneath', as Kakashi said a lot.

I mentally patted myself on the back for my quick thinking, then directed my attention to my next problem: How was I going to cheat without getting caught?

I thought… and thought... and thought… I tugged my hair again. None of my skills were for spying. On team Gai, we all had our separate jobs. A few of mine were jutsu use, and dealing with clients, not investigation, spying and stealth. That was Neji's job, since he had the Byaku-

I practically slapped myself. Jeez, I was such an idiot sometimes. I looked ahead to where Neji was sitting. He was writing answers on his test dutifully. Then he suddenly stopped writing, put his pencil down and flipped his paper over. Then, I shifted my gaze to Lee. He held his pencil up, paused, then began writing in the answers.

As I said before, Neji was in charge of finding out information and relaying it to Lee and I. However, it became difficult to do so on a mission where we had to be totally silent; else we gave away our position. When we explained this problem to Gai-sensei, he taught Neji a special technique that required chakra control that I did not (and still don't) have.

It was a low level mind connection jutsu. It was not as flashy or powerful as it sounded, and had quite a few drawbacks. It only lasted up to five minutes at a time, and it was a one way connection, meaning Neji could only talk to us and we could reply back. He could only speak to us one at a time also, so it wasn't very useful in situations where he needed to give us a quick message, such as 'Run!' or 'On your left!'. We tried not to rely on it too much, as it also took quite a lot of energy out of Neji, and he had a limit of four connections a day.

But, it did its job well enough. I was immensely glad that Gai-sensei had taught it to him, it would be very advantageous in this test. I would just have to wait for him to get done feeding answers to Lee.

I watched my black haired best friend as he stopped writing and turned his paper over. Neji's shoulders slumped a little, then he rolled them and discreetly re-did the handsigns required for the jutsu.

_Alright Naru, the answer to question one is_…

I wrote the answers as he said them to me, not really caring what my handwriting looked like. After I finished filling out all the spaces, save for the tenth one, Neji disabled the connection. I looked up at the clock on the wall to see how much time was left. I sighed inaudibly, only twenty minutes had passed. I flipped my paper over and started sketching idly.

I sighed and pushed away the pencil after a couple of minutes. I looked up at Ibiki, who was glaring around the room, intimidating anyone who looked up. He rested his stern gaze on me, and I almost flinched. Instead, I glared back at him defiantly. A flash of surprise covered his face for a moment, then it was gone, his expression now blank. He suddenly smirked at me, now looking mildly impressed. Huh. Guess no-one else has had the guts to even try to defy him.

He returned to watching the others like a hawk, and I returned to being bored. I heard Hinata flip her paper over and set her pencil down beside me and I turned to smile at her. She returned it timidly, then started playing with her fingers to pass the time.

I took up watching the clock's every tick, I was so bored. I really don't know why I was so worried about a stupid written test. I mean, I did everything with my team; they weren't going to abandon me. I rolled my eyes at myself. _Really_.

Fifteen minutes and three seconds later- I would know, I counted -Ibiki slammed his hand down on the desk. Several genin whipped their heads up, and I swore I heard someone's neck crack.

"Pencils down! It's time for the tenth question."

He glared around at those who thought they'd try and scribble some last minute answers.

"Alright," He started, "Now, before I administer the tenth question, you have to choose whether or not to take it."

"What? Why wouldn't we?" The sand kunoichi, Temari, asked.

He grinned at her, "Because, if you don't get it right, it is an automatic fail for you and your teammates."

A couple of genin gasped, and then started whispering furiously.

"…And," Ibiki continued, "You will be forever banned from taking the chuunin exams, causing you to be stuck as a genin."

There were several outraged shouts at this. I bit my bottom lip, exchanging a worried glance with Lee. We couldn't rely on Neji's help for this; we were on our own.

"You can't do that!" the kid next to me shouted, practically in my ear.

Ibiki smirked evilly at him. "I'm the chosen protractor for this years test, and what I say, _goes_."

There were grumblings around the classroom. Almost immediately, someone stood up. "I quit."

_Well, that was fast. _More and more people stood up. Teammates were throwing death glares at each other for quitting. I wondered what the tenth question was.

The K.I. in the room was nearly suffocating. Hinata was shaking like a leaf, along with many of the more timid looking entrants.

I wasn't going to quit. Not-a-chance. Sure, I wondered about the tenth question, but really, how hard could it be?

At least, I told myself that to keep me from raising my hand.

There was a steady stream of "quitters", and only a few seemed unconcerned, such as Gaara and a Sound team.

Then, I suddenly became aware that Hinata was slowly raising her hand. It seemed the mix of pressure and K.I. was too much for her, and I decided that this game of playing with our heads needed to end.

I sighed, _Jeez, I hate to be making a target of my team, but I'm not going to let my friends fail if I can help it!_

I stood up and slammed my hand down on the desk in front of me, causing many startled looks and a grin from Lee. I sucked in a breath and spoke in my most commanding voice.

"Alright, enough games! Just give us the dang tenth question! I'm not gonna quit, and even if I don't get the question right me _and_ my teammates will find a way to become _Jounin_ without taking the chuunin exam, because we're youthful like that!"

I noticed that several of the chuunins lined up against the wall winced when I said 'youthful', but disregarded it when I saw that Hinata's hand was back on the desk, and she had a soft, thankful smile on her face.

"You one of Gai's students?" Ibiki asked gruffly, a bit of a smirk pulling at his lips.

"You better believe it," I said proudly, sitting back down in my chair. Lee grinned all the larger, and Neji was shaking his head with a smirk.

"Well," he continued, no longer hiding his smirk, "I guess we should get on with it."

The tension in the room rose again, though now there was no backing out.

"Everyone in this room…." He began theatrically, "Passes the first exam!"

There was dead silence… then: "WHAAAAT?"

"W-what the heck?" I asked, standing again.

"The final question was choosing weather to stay or go. It is a valuable lesson to learn, and may save your or your teammates lives on a mission."

"T-that-" I was cut off by a ball of cloth and some kunai crashing through the window. A banner opened up, revealing: "Mitarashi Anko, Sexy Protractor of the Second Exam!"

Then, a purple haired woman dressed in not-so-modest clothes burst in next, taking a stance in front of the banner.

"I'm Mitarashi Anko, in charge of the second exam!"

Ibiki coughed from behind the purple sign, pushing it aside. "You're a bit early, Anko."

She turned to him, smirking. "You're just late! I wait for no-one!"

The scarred Jounin sighed, then motioned for her to go on.

"Right! Well, the second exam will take place in three hours, to give you time to prepare. Ask your senseis for the exam location."

Then, without further ado, she jumped right back out the window, leaving a shocked silence.

I slapped my hand against the table with a grin, looking to Neji and Lee "Well, guys, let's go find Gai-sensei."

* * *

"OH, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, MY YOUTHFUL STUDENTS! YOUR YOUTH SHINES LIKE A THOUSAND SUNS! AND YOU, NARU, ARE EVEN MORE YOUTHFUL FOR PROCLAIMING IT SO~! I SHALL RUN A THOUSAND LAPS IN CELEBRA-"

"Gai-sensei, calm down!" I yelled over his joyous rant, struggling in his hug. Neji was smart enough to stay a few meters away when we first approached. Lee and I weren't so smart.

"Maa, maa, Gai-kun. You're strangling your students," Kakashi imputed from his window seat in the teacher's lounge we were in. Kakashi's students hadn't found them yet, so he was waiting patiently.

Gai released us, still grinning proudly.

"Gai-sensei, Mitarashi-san sent us to find our senseis" Neji said, drawing closer now that the danger had passed, "Do you know where the next test is?"

"Yes, I do!"

There was silence for a moment, broken by Kakashi's sniggering.

"…Can you tell us?"

"Why, sure! All you had to do is ask! It's at the training ground north of here, 'The Forest of Death'!"

I raised my eyebrows and exchanged a look with Neji. The name probably wasn't exaggerated. And even if it was, it was probably best not to underestimate the place before we even see it.

"Is there anything in particular we'll need?" I asked.

"Hmm… well, I'm not allowed to tell you specifics, but I can say it will take more than one day."

"Okay, that's good enough."

All three of us then jumped out the window, waving a farewell to the Jounins in the lounge.

"So, we grab our travel packs and meet at the training grounds early?"

"Hn, sure."

"See you both there!"

* * *

"Kunai?"

"Check."

"Medical equipment?"

"Check."

"Food rations?"

"Check. I have double our usual amount, just in case."

I continued on my mental checklist, continuing our pre-mission ritual, even though this wasn't quite a mission. We did this by habit now, checking that we had all our supplies together before we went out.

"Anything else?"

"Nope."

"Okay, great!" I looked at my teammates –or rather, my closest friends- and smiled. They smiled back, hefting their tan backpacks. Neji looked around at the other teams arriving, who were all fearfully peering at the 'Forest of Death'.

He looked back to us. "Are you both ready? Mitarashi-san will be here soon."

Lee and I nodded determinedly. More and more people arrived, and I shifted subconsciously.

Then, Anko jumped down from the top of the gate (_when did she get there?_) and stood in front of the assembled teams.

"Okay! So, welcome to the second exam! …"

My mind was only half listening as I focused on the strange aura I felt nearby. I noticed Kabuto was standing with his team a few paces away, and I wrinkled my nose.

I didn't trust him. Not one bit.

A Kunai whizzed by my cheek, slicing it slightly. Neji and Lee tensed as Anko appeared behind me.

"So… You think you're too good to listen to my fabulous introduction and rules?"

I shivered slightly at the K.I. that was directed at me. This chick was scary…

Then, a long-gross!-tongue holding the kunai just thrown slithered out of nowhere, surprising the purple haired kunoichi. Then, getting over her shock, grabbed the kunai and thanked the creepy girl who had returned it. I stared at the grass Nin. Something was off about her too.

I paid attention to the rest of the explanation, glad we thought to grab our travel packs. When the group broke up, Neji, Lee and I quickly signed our forms, a little intimidated. I was sent to turn in the consent forms and take our scroll, which I hid in my backpack.

He chuunin handing out scrolls handed me a slip with out gate number on it and I returned to Lee and Neji, who were waiting nearby. We walked slowly to our gate, which was not far from the front, and settled there to wait.

Now standing in front of the gate, ready to go in, I had the feeling that things weren't quite going to go as simple as planned.

Neji caught my now slightly nervous look. "We'll be fine. This is nothing we can't handle."

I offered him a wavering smile. "I just have a bad feeling about this, is all."

Lee turned to face me fully, along with Neji. "A bad feeling?"

"Yeah," I answered, "Like – like... oh, I don't know. Like something bad is going to happen in there."

They exchanged a worried look. Whenever I felt like this, I wasn't usually wrong.

"Well," Neji started, "Whatever may happen, we'll work through it together."

Slightly comforted, I nodded.

But even as the gate opened, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread.

* * *

**A.N.: Well? Love it? Hate it? I don't know if I like this chapter or not. But I'm excited for the next chapter! Things start heating up in the Forest of Death… in more ways than one ;). I hope to have it up sometime during holiday break. Until then, STAY YOUTHFUL!**


	23. Enter the Forest of Death

**A.N.: Well… How were your guys' holidays? Sorry this is later than I promised, I was working on getting another story started. (P.S. If you like Shino, check out my new story, Plz!) OMGOMG! I'm at 200 reviews! *COFETTI RAINS FROM SKY* Yes, yes, yes! Thank you all so much! I love you all sooooo much! *hugs***

**Edited by J.O.L the 1**

My Protector

_Chapter 21 –Enter the Forest of Death_

The three of us jumped from branch to branch in true Leaf-nin fashion at high speed (or at least as fast we could get without tiring ourselves out). Neji had his Byakugan activated and was scouting around us, making sure we didn't run into a trap. We didn't need any hold ups if we could prevent it.

Neji, of course, was in the front of the formation, leaving Lee and me to take up the back guard. We were currently looking for a safe spot to hide and discuss our plan without anyone overhearing.

I glanced over at my black haired best friend. He was totally focused ahead, looking serious. It seemed odd for him to be so… solemn. It was very rare for him not to be smiling. I wondered what he was thinking so hard about that put him in such a somber mood. He was thinking about something important (at least to him), that much I could tell. Was it this test he was pondering? The possibility of becoming chuunin? Or something more personal?

Suddenly, he looked to his left and caught my eye. There was something different in his gaze, something that I hadn't noticed before. It was more intense, more… I didn't know. I couldn't bring myself to look away. Then, just as suddenly, he grinned at me with a characteristic wink.

I looked away abruptly, a small blush forming on my cheeks. What was I thinking, staring at my best friend like that? What was wrong with me? I caught Neji looking back at me with a small smirk that clearly said _'I know something you don't know!'_

Blasted 359 degree Byakugan vision.

I shot the older boy a small glare. It wasn't like I _liked _Lee or anything. Right?

Right. Because that would just be weird.

Wouldn't it?

I shook my head to clear the thoughts. I needed to focus.

Neji suddenly dropped to the ground below, leaving Lee and me to follow him. He turned to face us, doing a last minute glance around the area. I noticed we had dropped straight down into a hollow tree trunk. It was very well covered from the sides, and the top was covered by leaves. I wouldn't have noticed it unless Neji hadn't led us here.

We were silent for a moment while Neji checked the surrounding area once more. I was avoiding looking at Lee, but I doubt he noticed. Then, finally, Neji deactivated his bloodline and looked at the two of us.

"So," he started, "Our course of action?"

I thought for a moment. I still had a funny feeling about this place, and I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. However, that might not have been the best way to go about things. Plus, I couldn't put how I felt above the safety of my closest friends, no matter what.

"I think we should target the closest team and try to get our other scroll as soon as possible." Lee inputted, glancing at me. Darn, he must've known what I was thinking about.

Neji also looked at me. "I agree. If Naru has a bad feeling, it's best to be safe and not to linger."

They both looked to me for confirmation of this plan. They always did this, ever since they had wordlessly appointed me the leader of the team. I was uncomfortable with their trust in me at first, but now I was just flattered and appreciative for such great teammates.

"That sounds good." I said and then tacked on at the end as an afterthought, "As long as the nearest team isn't Gaara's team."

"Right." Neji said, nodding along with Lee.

"What if we get separated?" I said after a moment, the possibility worrying me slightly, "How will we know if it's really each other and not imposters?"

"Hmm," Neji hummed thoughtfully, "What about a password that only we know?"

Lee nodded in agreement, but I shook my head. "No, that would be too easy to figure out," I argued gently, "Even if we know that there's no one near us, there could be other ways the teams could be hearing what we're saying. We don't know what they're capable of."

Neji thought over it, not in the least offended by my disagreement. "I suppose that makes sense. It is what everyone else uses as well. It's too easy to guess."

"How about we just ask each other a personal question that only the three of us would know the answer to?" Lee interjected his suggestion.

Neji and I both nodded after taking a moment to think it over. "We know each other well enough. It should be easy to think of something only we would know the answer to."

Lee grinned widely, practically vibrating with suppressed energy. I rolled my eyes at his familiar antics. He was always like this in the middle of our missions, why should now be any different?

"Neji," I said, turning to the only Hyuuga boy I knew well, "Can you scan the area for nearby teams? We need to know how far we need to travel."

The formerly stoic boy nodded, already activating his bloodline again. We stood in silence as he strained the limits of his vision, looking for a team. I checked my backpack, making sure our scroll –Earth- was still safely stored inside. I was –at least appearance wise- the least intimidating member of our team, so naturally, I was given the scroll to safeguard.

"I can't see anyone close to us. My vision isn't advanced enough to see far enough. We'll have to move."

Lee and I nodded and followed his lead, out of the hollow tree and onto the branches once more.

(())**~~

"Fellow Leaf nin are exempt from our attack, correct?" Neji spoke up after twenty minutes of silent tree hopping.

I nodded, knowing he could see me. "Why?" I then added.

"Hinata-sama's team is just ahead of us."

I nodded again, contemplating stopping to check in on them. I knew that this exam was a free for all, but it didn't feel right to not see how they were doing when we had the chance. Lee, once again seeming to read my mind, spoke up before I could.

"Why do we not stop for a short talk? We can easily catch up."

"I suppose it is our duty as older Leaf Nin to check up on our younger comrades," Neji said, taking the rational side of things, though I knew he wanted to check in on his younger cousin.

I started to nod, then scowled at Neji's back. He looked back at me in surprise, seeing my mild glare.

"What?"

I only scowled more and turned my head away. Lee looked between us confusedly, then grinned widely. Neji then turned to Lee, knowing he knew the problem.

"You said 'younger comrades'" Lee said, trying not to laugh at my irked face.

"Yes…" Neji trailed off, looking bewildered.

At this Lee started laughing. I turned my glare on him.

"It's not funny…" I mumbled.

"Naru's younger than both Shino and Kiba," Lee grinned.

Neji didn't say anything for a moment, then he smiled quietly, rolling his eyes in an amused way.

"Forgive me, I forgot." He said, good-humored sarcasm coloring his words, "I suppose I should say 'it is our duty as _more experienced _Nin to check up on our _less experienced _comrades.'"

Lee laughed loudly, grinning all the wider. I rolled my eyes at the two of them, but couldn't help but crack an amused smile as well. Since when had being younger bothered me?

"Ha-ha, very funny."

"Oh, it is," was Neji's witty reply.

Lee interrupted our banter before we got too much more distracted. "So are we gonna catch up with them or not?"

I nodded with Neji, quickening our pace. We stayed quiet once more, hoping not to be noticed by anyone we didn't want to notice us. Simply saying: back to plan A for now.

"Hinata-sama has noticed us," Neji said a moment later, "It seems they had the same strategy. She's told them to stop."

Lee and I didn't answer, knowing Neji would now be scouting the area again for other –less friendly- teams. We didn't want anyone to know we were stopping to talk with another team if we could help it. It would make us a bigger threat and put a target on our backs.

I was suddenly glad we had waited a year before entering the exams. I wouldn't have known this much vital information a year ago.

We dropped onto another wide branch that held three other people on it. Hinata, looking timid as usual, had just deactivated her Byakugan. Kiba and Shino were waiting with crossed arms, while Akamaru barked at our appearance.

"Shhh, Akamaru!" Kiba chastised, being just as loud as his dog.

"K-Kiba-kun…" Hinata mumbled, noticing that he could be attracting unwanted attention. Shino chose not to comment, instead focusing on us.

"How do we know you are really Team Lotus and not an enemy team in disguise?"

Neji tapped the veins from his Byakugan, which he had not deactivated in favor of keeping look out. Shino nodded and turned to Lee and me.

I thought for a moment, "Could you ask a question, 'cuz I can't think of anything."

Shino nodded silently, then asked, like he knew what I was going to say, "What were we talking about the day you and I were formally introduced?"

I thought back to that day at the Academy under the tree and coughed embarrassedly, glancing at Neji. Said boy raised an eyebrow at me. Hinata flushed, also remembering.

"We, uh…" I coughed again, "We were, um, talking about why… nejiwassuchajerk," I said in a rush.

Lee snorted, smothering a laugh. Neji, on the other hand, huffed and crossed his arms, though I knew he wasn't truly mad. Shino just nodded and moved on to Lee.

"When were you and I first formally introduced?"

Lee thought for a moment, then grinned sheepishly, "We never were."

Shino once again nodded, then waited for questions in return for his team. He tilted his head when I shook mine.

"We know it's you guys. Hinata has the Byakugan, Kiba has Akamaru, and Neji can see the bugs in you."

Shino nodded in acceptance. I leaned against the trunk of the tree casually.

"So, how've you guys been holding up so far?"

"Awesome!" Kiba shouted rowdily, "We're gonna kick butt at this exam!"

Akamaru barked in agreement, panting from his place on Kiba's head. I grinned at the two.

"K-Kiba-kun, we s-should not g-get too con-confident..." Hinata stuttered shyly.

"No, no," I amended, "Confidence is good. Just don't let it go to your head, dog-breath."

"Yeah, right, Uzumaki!" Kiba growled playfully.

I laughed, though made sure to keep my voice down. I turned to the other two of team 8.

"What about you guys?"

"I-I'm f-f-fine, N-Naru-chan," Hinata stumbled, blushing.

"I am well," Shino said simply.

There was a moment of silence, then Neji spoke up.

"I suppose we should go. There is a team entering my vision that we need to take care of."

Lee and I nodded, and I pushed myself away from the tree. I mock saluted them with a grin.

"See ya' guys at the tower! Remember to always keep an eye out."

All three of them nodded, taking my offhand advice. I hoped they took it seriously, as I meant it seriously.

Neji, Lee and I jumped up onto another branch. I saw Hinata re-activate her Byakugan from below us before we sped off. Neji nodded to us, then took off in a westward direction.

True to what Neji said, there was a team close by. We waited in the trees as the Rain team conversed amongst themselves, carelessly out in the open.

I shook my head. They were rookies, obviously.

The three of us observed before Lee signed to Neji and me.

'Turtle?' He had a questioning look on his face.

"Turtle" was the code for, basically, 'Pick an opponent and fight them.'

I nodded at the same time as the Hyuuga boy, looking back down at the two boys and girl our age.

I counted down on my fingers. When I reached '1' we all swooped down on the unsuspecting team.

Truthfully, they were not the most challenging opponents. Neji had taken his out quickly using gentle fist, and Lee was not close behind him in knocking out the other boy with a Leaf hurricane. I had the easiest of the three, and was finished before both Neji and Lee.

I was a bit disappointed, actually. I was hoping that the girl of their team was at least a _bit _challenging. It seemed that the majority of girls in the ninja world neglected training… Maybe that was why there were so little female Jounin.

I shook it off. I was already determined to not be like the majority.

"I got the scroll!" Lee called, holding up the Heaven scroll.

"Wow, that's lucky," I said, drawing closer.

"Yeah, this is the one we needed, right?" he asked, looking straight at me.

I froze, looking right back into his dark eyes. I was locked in his gaze, and I didn't want to look away.

Then, the strange moment passed and I shook myself. I cast my gaze away forcefully, answering him.

"Yeah, that's the one we need."

I walked away before he could say anything else, choosing to help Neji tie the Rain ninja together.

After we were finished Neji stood up and looked at what we could see of the horizon. The sun was beginning to touch down, meaning our hours of daylight were quickly diminishing.

"We should find a place to set up camp and start our watches." Neji said, concluding the same thing I did.

I nodded, and I knew Lee did as well because Neji sped off into the trees without any other prompting.

A few minutes later we were setting up the two tents we brought with us. Neji and Lee were sharing like usual, while I got a tent to myself.

"We can't risk lighting a fire," I said as I set up, "It can be seen from too far away."

"That's what I was thinking," Lee replied.

"It's a good thing we packed ration bars," The white eyed boy added.

I grimaced, getting an amused smile and grin from the other two. I really didn't like ration bars. They tasted like cardboard. Bleh.

After I finished my tent I reluctantly pulled out a bar from my pack. Yep, cardboard.

"I'll take first watch," Neji announced an hour later. Without waiting for a response he jumped up onto a low branch where he could see the whole camp. He settled against the trunk comfortably.

I looked to my best friend, "Do you want second or third?"

He thought for a moment, "Second."

I nodded. I didn't really like the morning shift, but I couldn't always have the first.

I yawned then, rubbing an eye. "I'm gonna get to sleep. See you two."

They nodded to me, sending quick smiles. I headed to my tent, hoping I would have a good night's sleep.

(())**~~

I sat boredly in the tree overlooking camp. The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon.

I watched the sunrise for a while. I had the impulse to scream 'AHH, THE YOUTH!' into the morning air, but restrained myself.

I shook my head. I was picking up some of Gai's habits.

Just as I went to hop down from the branch, a piercing scream ripped through the formerly peaceful air. I froze, recognizing the voice.

Sakura.

"Guys! Guys, get up!"

(())**~~

**A.N.: Mwahahaha! Cliffy! How'd guys like it? It's a bit short, but I thought this would be better than nothing. Tell me what you think!**

**P.S. Happy Valentine's Day! 3 :D**


	24. Sneaky Snake Sanin

**A.N.: Heeeeey, guyzzzzz (and girls)... In my defense: High school was really tough near the end of year. And I've been without internet on my computer for quite a while. So, there is my excuse, but really, how many of you actually read this little author's note? Experiment: If you are one of the few who read the top AN's then post a review with the phrase "Rock Lee rocks my socks" somewhere in it. Ha. Ha ha. :P**

**Edited by J.O.L the 1**

My Protector

_Chapter 21 – Sneaky Snake Sanin_

_Just as I went to hop down from the branch, a piercing scream ripped through the formerly peaceful air. I froze, recognizing the voice._

_Sakura._

"_Guys! Guys, get up!"_

(())**~~

Immediately there was a scrambling sound from the tent as I jumped down from the tree, picking up my backpack and already sealed tent as I went. I heard a muffled 'ouch' from the boys' direction, but ignored it as Neji stumbled out, looking a bit frazzled.

"What is it?" Lee asked, struggling to untangle himself from the tent's canvas, "What's happened?"

"It's-" I was cut off as another yell echoed through the dense trees, "That."

Lee jumped in surprise, hurrying to stuff their tent into a scroll. Neji turned on his Byakugan, looking specifically in the direction of the yell. I shifted from foot to foot, anxious to know if it was who I suspected.

"It's Haruno," Neji stated, "and Sasuke… and a… Grass kunoichi?"

I blinked. A Nin from Grass?

"Are they being attacked?" Lee asked, hitching his backpack onto his shoulders.

Neji was quiet for a moment longer with a look of intense concentration in his eyes. They must have been located at the very edge of his vision.

"Yes," he said finally, "by the Grass nin."

I stiffened, thinking furiously, "Is Akio there too?"

Neji's brow wrinkled, "No… Not that I see. He must have gotten separated from the rest of his team."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Lee exclaimed, looking between the two of us, "We are going to help them, right?"

I nodded at once, looking him straight in the eyes, "Of course, I just wanted to be sure."

Neji nodded curtly already jumping up into the trees, "Quickly."

Lee and I said no more, choosing to follow him rather than reply. I felt anxious and the bad feeling I had even before this test had started intensified, making me sick to my stomach. Why wasn't Akio with his team? And just who was this grass Nin?

"What is it?" Lee muttered from beside me, looking over at me from the corner of his eyes. Of course - Lee could always read my expression like a book.

I frowned, ducking to avoid a low hanging branch, "I – just a bad feeling."

The black haired boy frowned as well, and Neji turned slightly to look back at me. I smiled in what I hoped was a reassuring way, but had the feeling I failed miserably.

"It's fine… probably nothing, really."

The two boys looked far from convinced, but let it drop all the same. Mostly because another yell ripped through the air, this time more masculine sounding: Sasuke.

We doubled our speed, pushing ourselves to get there faster.

"Akio has arrived," Neji announced suddenly, no longer having to strain to make out what was happening.

I nodded in return, but was not reassured. Why hadn't the Grass ninja retreated? Surely she stood no chance against three?

The group we were searching for came into view: at first only blurs jumping between the trees, then the familiar shapes of our fellow genin when we came closer. Akio and Sasuke seemed to be attacking the grass Nin together, but said kunoichi was only batting them away with an amused smile. I shivered when I recognized her: it was that creepy tongue girl.

I saw Sasuke and Akio, both looking battered and worse for the wear. Sasuke caught my eye, his sharingan swirling. A flash of relief went across his face before disappearing.

She looked our way as we drew closer. Her amused grin stretched even wider. "Ah, looksss like the Kyuubi brat issss here as well…" she hissed, her voice as smooth as silk.

I froze in mid-air, almost missing the branch I meant to step on. I saw Neji tense and Lee's eyes widen. Then they both narrowed their eyes in a glare. I shook myself out of it, stepping beside Neji and Lee.

"I don't know how you know that…" I paused, "But I don't care. Leave them alone."

If anything, she looked even more amused. Her slimy tongue peaked from behind her lips. "Oh? And _you _are going to make me?"

I scowled, "It's –" I took a moment to count heads, "– six against one. Do you really think you have any chance?"

"Oh," she smiled, "I believe I do, _little girl_."

I glared all the more fiercely at her, grinding my teeth. I hated that name, with its condescending air. I wasn't a 'little girl' anymore.

With practiced ease I drew a kunai out of my sleeve and flew at the girl, which she dodged easily. Her sly smile turned into a maniac grin.

"Alright," she hissed, "Let's play!"

All at once a wave of the most lethal killing intent washed over all six of us, causing Akio and Sasuke to freeze. Sakura, who had been cowering by the tree not knowing what to do, looked terrified.

Neji, Lee and I, however, were not as affected, having been more exposed to such K.I. But the plain amount of it left us shaken and breathless. The girl wasted no time in performing her jutsu, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

She bit her thumb, drawing blood, and swiped it along a strange looking tattoo on her arm. I wondered for a moment at what it was before I was forced to focus on something else.

Namely the giant snake that had appeared out of nowhere.

My eyes widened in surprise before I acted, a plan forming in my mind. Neji threw two senbon needles at Akio and Sasuke, hitting them both in the arm harmlessly. They jerked, brought out of their panic-induced haze by the pain.

"Akio, Sasuke! Can you take care of that snake?" I yelled at them.

Akio blinked fearfully at the gigantic snake heading towards us, but nodded with Sasuke all the same. A twinge of fear for them entered my stomach as I watched them jump off to face it, but I forced myself to ignore it as my team turned to face the girl.

I glanced at both of the boys beside me, giving them a hand sign –hawk- before dropping down from the thick branch we stood on. There was no need for pausing anymore; we all understood the signals without even thinking about it.

"Ooooh, are you coming to get me?" the grass nin asked, a mocking smile on her face as I sprinted forward to meet her.

I smiled grimly back, my hands forming the familiar hand signs. I raised my hand firmly, drawing the chakra needed, "Futon: Renkudan!" A bullet made of air the size of my fist came into being and shot towards the kunoichi.

She dodged easily, "If that is the best you-"

A foot came out of nowhere, striking the side of her face viciously. Where she was hit crumpled and crinkled oddly. But, strangely, I was able to see, not blood, but… more skin underneath? Lee landed soundly, moving out of Neji's way, who had sprinted up behind him.

"Juken!" Neji called, hitting her severely on the chest and stomach with his chakra coated palms. I knew that with that one shot Neji was able to scramble and twist a person's insides, which is likely what happened to the Grass Nin.

Neji stepped back from her frozen form. With a great shudder she doubled over, then collapsed to the ground limply.

"Hmm," Neji grunted, watching her wilted form critically.

"That was almost too easy," Lee grinned.

Much too easy, I mused. This chick could summon giant snakes, surly she should have been –

The supposed 'dead' body suddenly collapsed into itself, turning brown and transforming into a pile of mud. I cursed to myself, whipping around to find where she went.

"Did you _really _think it would be that easy?" She laughed, her voice sounding deeper now. She was leaning against the tree across from us, "Like I would lose to mere _Genin_!"

Her face was peeling off, revealing another, more masculine, face underneath it.

"I would think you are a genin too," I said stiffly, "considering this is the chuunin exam."

But it occurred to me for the first time that this girl –or man?– was far above our level.

She (he?) grinned, pulled away the skin and fully revealed his true face. "Are you so naïve, Kyuubi-brat? I can see in your eyes that you know you stand a chance."

I grit my teeth, getting ready to perform another jutsu. Before I could, however, Sasuke and Akio appeared, both bearing numerous scrapes and covered in a green slime.

"We destroyed your snake," Akio huffed, but managed to smirk slightly at the man-who-was-not-a-genin.

The man looked slightly annoyed at Akio, but passed it off and smirked in return. "You have some gall, trying to mock Orochimaru, the snake _Sanin_."

Akio suddenly paled, along with the rest of us. _A Sanin?_

He smirked even wider, but the Sanin suddenly looked to the right, evidently sensing something. Neji turned on his Byakugan beside me, and a small smirk coming over his face soon after.

"I assume you don't want to get caught?"

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes at the Hyuuga, but his lips stretched into a sly smile.

"It seems playtime's over," he hissed, now focusing on Sasuke, "I'll leave you something to remember me by…"

His neck stretched to impossible lengths, zooming towards Sasuke lightening fast.

From there, things seemed to happen in slow motion.

Orochimaru opened his mouth and I realized in a split second that he intended to bite Sasuke, who looked horribly confused and shocked.

I acted mostly on instinct.

I had barely even thought about moving before I was beside Sasuke, my arm stretched out.

I caught sight of Akio's horror-struck face as I pushed Sasuke into him, knocking over the both of them. A pair of fangs sank into my neck instead of Sasuke's, burning like fire.

I screamed as a rush of foreign chakra entered my system from my neck like acid. The teeth ripped themselves out of my skin, causing me to lose my balance and topple off the wide tree branch.

"NARU!" the anguished yell from my best friend seemed muted in my ears as I fell. A warm body caught me mid air, cuddling me close to his chest as he landed safely on a lower branch. I heard a scream of rage fill the air, but I knew by now he would have to leave, lest he get caught.

"Naru!" I opened my eyes part of the way –when had I closed them?– and clenched my teeth against the pain ripping through my body as I looked upon the blurry face of Lee. It was hard to concentrate on keeping my eyes open, the greens of the trees seeming to blend with his black hair and worried eyes in dizzying patterns.

"Naru, stay awake," He said, panic and worry clear in his voice, "Come on, stay with me…"

I blinked slowly, the words not quite making a connection in my brain. My eyelids inched lower, causing Lee to shake my arm in alarm.

"Naru! Please… stay… awake…"

But despite his desperate pleads I could not keep my eyes from closing and my consciousness from surrendering to the swirling darkness.

(())**~~

The black chakra swirled and twisted within the confines of my skin, a distinctly evil aura emanating from it. Then a red chakra made its appearance, seeming to battle with the black in my mind's eye. I could feel my body tensing up and twitching, but was unaware of anything beyond that.

Searing pain filled my senses, and I wanted to scream as loud as I could, for as long as I could. But then the dark, malevolent chakra finally settled at my neck, and the red at my stomach, taking the pain with it.

My body relaxed and I wanted to sigh in relief.

But then the darkness gave way to images that flashed across my vision like a dream.

My worst memories and nightmares.

I had no concept of time as the scenes flashed, unrelenting.

_- Getting beat up by the villagers-_

_- Neji wounded and blood-spattered-_

_- I am the Kyuubi?-_

_- Lee… His face bloodless and unmoving-_

I wanted to yell and scream with the pain of it.

Then, after an eternity, the images stopped. Relief flooded me. Thank goodness _that _was over.

I didn't know how long I stayed alert in the gloom, not able to wake up from this place I was in.

At last, I could feel pure exhaustion take over my consciousness, leaving me to drift off into an uneasy sleep.

(())**~~

The steady _'crackle-snap' _of a campfire filled my ears. I felt the warmth of it next, and a small, already-alert part of my brain recognized that I must have been lying quite near it.

I shifted uncomfortably, my muscles feeling unpleasantly stiff and sore. I heard a muted gasp, and soon after there were hurried footsteps coming in my direction.

I was slowly coming back to reality, shaking off the not very restful sleep I was in previously.

"Naru…?" a low whisper, not so very far away from me.

I cracked open an eyelid, the other opening soon after, and blinked in the darkness. A louder, happier gasp came from my right. I turned to look at the source, but was unable to as I was tackled in an exuberant hug.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're alright!" Lee whisper-yelled, practically crushing me in his joy.

I gave a strained chuckle in return, my voice feeling more hoarse and raw than it was the last time I was awake.

Lee let go immediately, a concerned frown on his face, "You _are _okay, aren't you?"

I coughed, nodding, "Just sore."

Lee hesitated, then continued in a rush, "You kept twitching and screaming for a while. What happened?"

I tried to sit up, but I barely even sat up a bit before Lee was helping and supporting me. "I-I don't really know. I can't really remember," I concentrated, "… I remember… pain and… black and red chakra…"

Lee tensed and his bushy eyebrows drew together. I sighed tiredly and leaned against his shoulder. In return he put his arm around me, rubbing my arm when I shivered.

We sat in comfortable silence for several minutes, neither of us keen on breaking the calm. I spotted three tents set up nearby, most likely housing Sasuke, Akio, Neji and Sakura.

Then, Lee spoke, "He… That guy, Orochimaru…"

I glanced up at him, "Yes?"

The genin cleared his throat, "He left a… mark on your neck."

At once my hand flew to the spot where I was bitten. There was a raised surface I could feel under my fingertips, forming a sort of small design.

"It's a seal of some sort," Lee confessed, looking worried again. I let my hand fall down to my lap once more, feeling more weary and tired than before.

"Oh," was all I was able to manage. I felt vulnerable, like a child again.

"We're going to head straight to the tower tomorrow," Lee said, squeezing my shoulders tighter in reassurance, "and we'll find Gai-sensei right away. He'll know what to do."

I nodded, burying my head in his chest. My eyelids drooped, and I was very aware there were still several more hours of sleep available to me.

"Go back to sleep," Lee whispered.

I nodded feebly, letting my eyes close and my body relax without a second thought.

(())**~~

**A.N.: Rather short. But, oh, well. Better than nothing, eh? Please tell me what you think. I quite like how it came out…**

**STAY YOUTHFUL!**


	25. No Rest for the Weary

**A.N.: Okay, so more people read the top A.N. than I thought… Haha, you guys are so funny! :) I seriously LOVE all your reviews! It makes me want to pull a Gai-sensei and yell into the sunrise/sunset: "AHH THE YOUTH!" **

My Protector

_Chapter 23 – No Rest for the Weary_

"_Go back to sleep," Lee whispered, _

_I nodded feebly, letting my eyes close and my body relax without a second thought._

(())**~~

What felt like only mere seconds later, I was awakened by the sound of movement. I could hear people talking in hushed voices, and the rustling of tents being packed up.

Before I had the chance to wake up fully, I jolted upright, clutching my neck. I grit my teeth against the sudden and sharp pain that zapped through the curse mark, clenching my free fist. The whispering stopped suddenly and I sensed the familiar feeling of people staring at me.

As soon as it came, the sting vanished, leaving me feeling a bit dazed. I opened my eyes finally, seeing Team Seven staring at me with wide eyes, and Neji and Lee sharing a quick concerned glance.

I ignored the throbbing throughout my body in favor of plastering a, hopefully convincing, smile on my face.

I cleared my throat nervously, "G-good morning."

All of the "less experienced" Leaf nin looked away at that, mumbling greetings in return. I assumed they had been the whispering I heard.

Lee, after a moment's hesitation, grinned widely at me, though I could tell it was strained. He bounded over to help me up, "Good morning!"

I caught Neji staring at me intently over Lee's shoulder. I gave the both of them a wavering smile, hopefully reassuring them somewhat. It didn't seem to work, as the crease between Neji's eyes grew deeper, and Lee's shoulders tensed.

I was touched by their concern, but was reluctant to let the smile slide off my face like I wanted it to. There was no need to Team Seven too much.

I stood up, stretching with a wince. The curse mark burned briefly, but I ignored it. Sending a tight grin to the awkwardly standing Team Seven, I ducked down to help Lee fold up the tent.

Sakura, Sasuke, and Akio hesitantly followed my example, working to pack up their own things, but kept sending me glances over their shoulders.

I sighed, somewhat annoyed. Sure, the darn curse mark or whatever it was hurt, but it isn't like I was dying. After a few more minutes of their not-so-stealthy glances I whirled around at them, regretting it as my head swan.

"Okay, enough with the looks. I'll be fine, stop your worrying!"

I saw Lee and Neji exchange a glance in my peripheral vision, not believing it for a second.

Akio grinned immediately, looking relieved. Sasuke, who was a bit more perceptive, gave me a skeptical look, almost glaring at me. I met his gaze determinedly, crossing my arms. A moment later he nodded, accepting, but not truly believing, what I said.

Sakura, however, reacted oddly. I could catch the glint of unshed tears in her eyes before she turned away, scrubbing furiously at her cheeks. Akio sent her a concerned look, but looked reluctant to involve himself in her 'female emotions'.

I blinked at the girl for a moment, bewildered. What was wrong with her? I thought briefly of asking her, but decided against it. The girl pretty much hated me, after all. My help wouldn't be wanted or appreciated, right?

Right.

So, with a worried glance in her direction, I turned back to finish packing up. We continued in silence for several minutes, until the small camp was packed and stored safely into our backpacks. Sasuke sighed, exchanging a look with Akio.

"We have to get going," he said, running a hand through his raven hair, "We only have until noon tomorrow to get to the tower, and we don't even have a scroll yet."

I nodded, smiling slightly, "Okay. You guys be careful, alright?"

Akio nodded, hitching his pack higher up on his shoulder. Sakura merely turned away, already starting to walk without a word. She had been unusually quiet all morning. Sasuke went to follow her with a backwards glance at me.

"See you guys at the tower!" Akio grinned, leaping to follow his teammates.

The three of us left watched them go until they disappeared into the surrounding trees and branches. After they were gone my smile slipped off as my shoulders slumped tiredly.

"How do you feel really?" Neji asked seriously, causing me to turn to face both of the boys I knew best. I glanced at Lee, seeing his eyes swimming with concern. I sighed, scrubbing a hand over my face.

"Tired, mostly. And sore. This thing," I motioned to my shoulder, "is messing with me. I don't think its working quite as sick-snake-guy meant it to."

Neji nodded as if he had expected as much, ducking to pick up his pack.

"Well," Lee said, picking up his own backpack, "we'll just have to get to the tower as soon as possible."

I nodded, "Neji, can you see how far it is?"

The Hyuuga activated his Byakugan, straining to the edges of his vision. I looked to Lee while he did this, catching my best friend's eye. He smiled a dazzling grin at me, and for some reason I felt my cheeks warm just the slightest bit. I blinked a few times before turning away, wondering what in the heck was wrong with me.

"It's only an hour from here," Neji said, snapping my attention back to him. Lee nodded, hitching up his pack. I reached down to grab mine, only to have it snatched up before I could. I looked up to see Lee placing it on his other shoulder, right beside his own pack.

I opened my mouth to object, "I'm more than capable-"

"We know you are, Naru," Lee interrupted, "I just wanted to carry your pack for you, is that so wrong?"

I scowled at him, but was met with his most innocent, pleading look. I sighed, giving up just as another sting ran through my shoulder and neck. "Fine, fine."

Lee grinned brightly at me, while Neji smirked slightly. I scowled at the other boy too, just to get my point across. Neji's smirk grew even wider at this, amusement shining in his pale eyes.

I huffed quietly, trying to hide my own small smile. These boys kept me sane.

"Let's go. We should see the tower soon." Neji stated, turning away to jump into the trees. Lee and I followed right after.

I stumbled slightly as my foot almost slipped off the branch. _'Ah, darn! It's messing with my chakra!'_

Neji and Lee glanced over at me, but refrained from saying anything. I was glad; they knew nothing could be done for it until we got to the tower.

An hour passed in silence. I found I was worn out more quickly than usual, which frustrated me to no end. Neji called a halt before us, just as the top of the tower became visible through the trees.

"There are a lot of traps set around here," he said, scanning the area with his Byakugan.

Lee and I waited as Neji looked around, searching for gaps in the hidden traps. I leaned against a tree in what I hoped was casual-looking, trying to catch my breath. By the quick look Lee gave me, it wasn't. However, he once more chose not to say anything, which I was grateful for. My pride couldn't handle being asked if I was 'alright' again.

"This way," Neji said suddenly, jumping to the left.

Lee and I followed dutifully through a series of twists, turns, and the occasional backtrack. At one point I thought I spotted a head of silver-grey hair and glinting glasses, but couldn't get a good enough look to be sure.

I stumbled to a halt on the ground in front of the tower. I forced myself to breathe properly, feeling ever more disappointed with myself. Never have I been so hard-pressed to keep up with my teammates since I became a Genin!

"The outside of the tower is free of traps," Neji interrupted my internal rant, "We should get inside."

He deactivated his Byakugan, glancing back at me.

Lee grinned and nodded, while I simply followed Neji in quietly. I was eager to get inside, if nothing else to rest and see my sensei.

Inside the stone tower was a large tablet hung on the wall, which was carved with a riddle on its surface. I read through it quickly, mouthing the words to myself.

"Heaven and Earth…?" I muttered, scratching the side of my face idly. Neji hummed to himself, mulling over the words. Lee looked positively stumped, a small, dare I say it, _pout_ forming on his lips. I was brought back to the days of our childhood, when he would pout frequently to get his way, or to cheer me up.

Lee looked over at me then, having sensed my stare. I didn't look away, even as he retracted his lip and blushed faintly, having guessed what I was thinking of. I grinned at him then, feeling like I hadn't smiled in days.

A slight cough brought my attention back to the third member of our group. Neji smirked at us slightly before speaking.

"Who has the scrolls?"

I pointed my thumb over to Lee, who was still holding both mine and his pack on his shoulders. He dropped his to the ground and handed me my own, rolling his shoulders to stretch them.

I dug through the pockets to where I had kept both the Heaven and Earth scrolls we had, giving them to Neji.

Neji took one of them, leaving the Earth scroll in my hand, "On the count of three, we open them."

"What?" Lee objected, "But didn't Anko-san say…"

Neji nodded, but replied, "It's the only answer to the riddle."

I shrugged, waiting for the count down.

"One… Two… Three!"

I ripped open the scroll in my hands just as Neji did his. A loud bang and a poof of smoke appeared before us, causing the three of us to cough. I waved my hand, trying to clear the air as a figure became visible.

"Well done, you three!" Iruka yelled, smiling broadly at us. I smiled slightly at the sight of my favorite Academy teacher, watching as he frowned at all the scuffs and bruises we sported. I stood up straighter, trying to appear more normal, like the scuffs and bruises were all that was wrong. As if sensing my thoughts, the mark on my neck pulsed angrily.

"What in the world-" he was cut off by Neji as the Hyuuga waved a hand dismissively.

"No disrespect," he said formally, "But we need to talk with our sensei right away."

Iruka blinked at the boy, letting his eyes slide over him, then Lee and me.

"I…" He said, sounding bewildered, "Yes. Yes, of course. I'll bring you to him."

He turned and walked up a spiral staircase from off to the side. We followed quietly.

We walked in silence down a hall for a minute until Iruka looked back at us. "Did… something happen?"

Neji and Lee exchanged a look. I sighed and opened my mouth to answer, "Yeah, but we'd rather talk to Gai-sensei about it first."

Iruka looked back more, almost running into the threshold of an open doorway, concern shining in his eyes. I hurried to reassure him.

"It's nothing too-" Neji and Lee both shot me a look from either side of me, cutting off the rest of my sentence, "Well, I mean- uh, it's going to be fine," I finished lamely.

If nothing else, Iruka looked even more concerned and worried, but let it drop. It was obvious we wanted to talk to Gai about it first, anyway. The kind teacher turned back around, leading us to a plain door, looking exactly like the many others we passed.

"Gai's in there," he said, frowning slightly. I caught his eye and gave him a small smile.

"Hey, after this is over, we should go get some ramen, eh, Iruka-sensei?"

He smiled then, his eyes twinkling a bit. I grinned back as best I could, moving to knock on the door. A loud "Come in!" sounded back as Iruka moved to walk away.

As I opened the door I was met by the odd, but familiar, sight of our spastic sensei doing pull-ups from the windowsill.

Hanging on the outside of the tower. When we were on the second, if not third, floor. Of course.

"Ah! My youthful students have come to greet their sensei!" Gai yelled, throwing himself in the room and striking a pose. I smiled at the familiar cheery presence of my sensei that I had become so close to.

His smile drooped some as he looked over the three of us. Lee and Neji had come into the room after me, closing and locking the door behind them. His eyes rested on me for a bit longer than the boys, before snapping back to Neji and Lee.

"What has happened?" the Jounin asked, his face dropping into a serious and out-of-place frown. I sighed, moving to sit on one of the cots placed in the room. Neji crossed his arms and leaned on the wall as Lee moved to sit beside me.

"We were attacked," Neji finally responded, "And not by a genin either."

Gai looked confused, "There was only Genin in the forest-"

"No," Lee shook his head, "There was a Sanin as well, disguised as a genin."

"Sanin?" Gai yelled, "Which?"

"He called himself Orochimaru." Neji answered and meant to continue to explain before I interrupted.

I cried out against my will as the cursed mark on my neck emitted a sharp blast of pain, jolting my muscles and jarring my joints. My hand flew to the spot as three heads snapped in my direction, one in confusion and the other two in concern. Lee put his hand gently on my other shoulder as I closed my eyes and grit my teeth. A blot of black chakra appeared in my mind's eye before a flash of red drove it away.

I breathed out slowly as the pain ebbed. I opened my eyes to see Gai's concerned ones staring back. He had moved closer, but had halted a few feet away, frowning deeply. I attempted a strained smile, but it only caused the crease between his bushy eyebrows to deepen.

"What. Has. He. Done?" Gai asked haltingly, looking murderous. I shivered, almost literally feeling the temperature in the room drop. I had only seen my gullible and cheerful sensei like this once, and that had been when Kaoru had been about to kill the three of us on out first C-Ranked mission.

"I…" I sighed and pushed away the hair falling from my ponytail to reveal the mark to him. He moved closer immediately to examine the area, sitting on the cot.

I hissed slightly as his calloused fingers brushed against the spot. He retracted his hand immediately, sending me an apologetic look.

After a moment of silence Gai cursed, a rare thing for him. I jumped slightly as he stood and started pacing.

"I do not know very much about seals," He said, "But because it is irritated and causing you pain, I can assume it is not compatible with your chakra-"

"The Kyuubi keeps fighting it back." I said suddenly, drawing attention back to me.

Gai-sensei paused in his furious stride, then resumed, "Yes, that could be why. Kakashi would know more…"

He stopped walking and sat heavily in a chair with a tired sigh. He looked to the three of us, "Tell me what happened."

I left it to Neji and Lee to tell the story. My eyelids were growing heavy, lulled by the steady sound of Gai's deep voice, Neji's calm tenor, and Lee's familiar tone. I leaned my head tiredly on Lee's shoulder, feeling very much like a child, but not caring in the least.

I drifted in and out of sleep as I listened to them talk. Once, I awoke momentarily to being carried down the hall by my sensei, only to be shushed back to sleep by the man when he noticed my awareness. I had no qualms about this, and promptly fell back into dream-land.

(())**~~

I jolted awake by someone shaking my arm gently. I opened my eyes, feeling distinctly disorientated.

My team was the first thing I saw, followed by Kakashi. I looked at the man confusedly, wondering when the heck he got there. Then I realized we were in an entirely different room.

"Sorry for waking you from your nap, Naru-chan," Kakashi quipped, sounding a bit more strained than usual.

"S'alright…" I mumbled, taking the hand Lee offered with a smile. I let him pull me up, stumbling slightly on the stone floors. I noticed he didn't let go of my hand, but said nothing.

"The Hokage wants me to seal that mark on your neck away," Kakashi explained, looking a bit less cheerful and more grim, "It won't get rid of it completely, but it'll lock it away for now."

"Oh," I said, waking up a bit more, "Okay, what are we waiting for?"

Gai grinned slightly at my remark, but said nothing as Kakashi continued.

"It'll be directly connected to your will. If you ever _want_ to use its power, the seal I place will break."

I grimaced at him, "Like I'd ever want to use this thing."

Kakashi eye-smiled for a moment, "Just walking you through the procedure."

I flopped a hand, telling him to get on with it. I wanted this dumb thing to stop messing with me and sapping all my energy.

"Now," he clapped his hands, "Usually, I would have you take off your shirt-"

"Kakashi!" Gai spluttered, looked both outraged and embarrassed. Neji coughed and looked away. Lee blushed brightly just as I did, both our cheeks turning a cherry red.

"But," Kakashi continued, coughing into his fist in an amused way, "Your tank top should give me enough room to draw the seals."

I breathed a silent sigh of relief. Kakashi then directed over to a series of two circles inside each other, telling me how the jutsu would work.

"It's going to hurt," He then said bluntly, "And it will most likely knock you out."

Lee stiffened beside me, but I simply nodded in acceptance. A bit of pain now was better than this thing messing with me constantly.

"Okay, just sit in the middle circle and relax as I draw the seals."

I moved to sit in the circle, but Lee's hand still in mine stopped me. I turned back to look at him. He was frowning at me worriedly, his eyes shining with barely suppressed concern. He sighed lightly, giving my hand a last reassuring squeeze before he let go, walking over to join Neji and Gai on the sidelines.

I watched him go for a moment before turning and sitting as instructed. Kakashi moved my hair out of the way and pulled out a paint brush and some ink.

He worked quickly, drawing the shapes and symbols onto my skin with practiced ease. I held my breath as he put down the brush at last and started the hand seals.

After a moment I felt his hand collide with the back of my neck where the curse seal resided. I felt nothing for a minute, then pain consumed my senses just as a wall of chakra came up around us.

I yelled out once before it was over. Darkness clouded the edges of my vision as Kakashi stepped back and another figure rushed forward.

"Naru! Are you okay?"

"I can't believe she's still awake." I blinked once before the darkness consumed my vision, "Oh, wait… Never mind."

I fell forward into the warm arms of black unconsciousness once more, finally getting some quality rest.

(())**~~

**A.N.: Wow. This chapter took me way too long to write. I mean really! Four months? Ah, whatever, at least I posted it. And it's a bit of a longer chapter as well. **

**I love writing Gai so dang much. He's the best. The most YOUTHFUL character of all! :D**

**Well, I'll see y'all next time! Don't forget to leave a review! **

**STAY YOUTHFUL!**


	26. Consciousness and Confusion

**A.N.: So… It's been a while. And by a while, I mean my last update was literally last year. 6 months ago? Sheesh. I suck. I'm sorry. It's summer now, so maybe I'll have more time to write. Perhaps. If you ask nicely?**

**But on another note: We've passed 300 reviews! Yay!**

My Protector

_Chapter 24 – Consciousness and Confusion_

_I yelled out once before it was over. Darkness clouded the edges of my vision as Kakashi stepped back and another figure rushed forward. _

"_Naru! Are you okay?"_

"_I can't believe she's still awake." I blinked once before the darkness consumed my vision, "Oh, wait… Never mind."_

_I fell forward into the warm arms of black unconsciousness once more, finally getting some quality rest._

(())**~~

When I awoke it was to an empty room. I groaned when I sat up, looking around the other three neatly made cots and the sun streaming through the window. Had I slept for _another_ whole day? What time was it?

I swung my legs around the side of the bed and stretched my arms above my head with a contented groan. With a jolt I realized the action should have aggravated the curse mark residing on my neck. My hand flew to the spot and I prodded the area gently.

Nothing. No irritated twinges or pains.

I grinned to myself. I stood and silently thanked Kakashi for his sealing technique. It seemed that it was successful. The mark was sealed away, finally separate from my own chakra.

I experimentally tried to summon some chakra to my feet and stepped onto the wall. It stuck as it was supposed to, and I grinned ever wider as I was able to climb up the wall and onto the ceiling with no problems.

The door swung open and crashed against the wall, nearly making me lose my concentration and fall to the floor. My black haired sensei stepped into the room, glancing around seriously before looking up at me and beaming widely.

"Gai-sensei, Naru could still be sleeping!" I heard Lee whisper to Gai as he stepped in behind said man, looking over to my cot. When he saw that it was empty he looked furiously around the room, panic on his face.

"Nonsense, Lee!" exclaimed the man, still beaming up at me, "Naru is training!"

After a moment of confusion Lee's head snapped upward. Neji slinked into the room a moment later, a slight smirk –almost smile- on his face.

Lee's face lit up in a grin when he saw me. I grinned at them, letting go of my chakra and flipping back down to the floor.

"Yeah, I was just checking to make sure my chakra was working alright again."

"How are you feeling?" Asked Neji before Lee or Gai could. The Hyuuga leaned up against the doorway, feigning a sort of disinterest.

I knew better. I could see that all three of them were still worried after my health, and I hurried to reassure them.

"I feel great," I smiled, looking at each of them in turn, "My chakra's all back to normal, and my energy is back up. What time is it?"

All three sagged slightly in relief. I smothered a fond smile.

"It's…" Lee checked his watch, "Half past eight. The next portion of the exam starts in about three hours."

"I'm surprised you let me sleep this late, Gai-sensei," I teased lightly, "I missed the sunrise of youth."

His dark eyes softened slightly at me as his grin grew larger. He ruffled my fringe warmly, winking.

"Well, I thought that you had been so youthful in the past few days that you deserved to miss one sunrise." He grinned quietly for a moment, looking around at the three of his team.

I counted down in my head. _Three… two… one…_ "BUT THE NEXT SUNRISE SHALL BE THE BEST OF ALL, AS MY YOUTHFUL TEAM OF GENIN WILL BE IN THE NEXT ROUND OF THE CHUNIN EXAM!"

A few birds flew out of the trees nearby. I cringed along with the two boys on my team as he shouted. I think there might have been some people outside the Forest of Death that might not have heard him.

"Anyways!" Gai clapped his hands together joyfully, "You three are free to roam the tower until twelve noon. Make sure you get some food, Naru, since you have not had breakfast yet, and eat before the next part of the exam!"

We all nodded, my stomach grumbling in agreement. Neji and Lee smirked at me and I rolled my eyes at them. Gai-sensei struck a familiar pose, determination burning in his eyes.

"I am off to challenge Kakashi! I shall journey to the teacher wing to find him; he will not escape my youth this time!"

And without further ado, he was gone in a flash, whipping out the door to surely find Kakashi and challenge him to a contest that was likely to be 'rock, paper, scissors' or the like.

I looked to the boys – _my boys_, I thought to myself – to see them looking back at me. I grinned, getting a smirk and an even brighter grin in return. I felt like we had grown closer over the past days, despite (or maybe because of) the arduous ordeals suffered.

At that moment my stomach chose to make its displeasure known again.

"C'mon, we will show you where the cafeteria is." Lee exclaimed, grabbing my hand and dragging me out the door. Neji trailed behind quietly, shutting the door after us. He caught up and took his customary potion on my other side, opposite Lee.

We walked the halls talking happily with each other – mostly Lee and I that is – and made our way to the cafeteria. A few turns and one set of stairs later we came upon the mostly deserted eating area, littered with only a few people here and there. I noticed upon entering that Temari and Kankuro, two of the sand siblings, were seated a far table by themselves, but Gaara was nowhere to be found. I couldn't help but feel a smidge relieved at that.

Lee tugged me up to the counter where some fruit and muffins sat while Neji staked out a spot for us to sit – not that it was hard; there were plenty of empty tables.

Lee tossed an apple over to Neji and grabbed one for himself as I scooped up a banana and a blueberry muffin. Not as good as ramen, but it'd do.

We sat at the table munching quietly for a few minutes before I spoke up. "So, how many teams have gotten here, d'you know?"

Lee chewed thoughtfully for a moment "Well, there is us, the Sand team, that Sound team, Kabuto's team, Team 8 and Team 10. Sasuke, Akio and Sakura have not shown up yet…"

I frowned thoughtfully. "I'm sure they'll arrive soon. They still had to get a scroll yesterday, didn't they?"

Neji and Lee nodded in confirmation. We went silent again as we contemplated to teams that had survived the Forest of Death.

"We don't really know much about the Sound team…" I mused out loud, "but they have to be at least somewhat tough if they got this far."

Neji nodded in agreement. "Yes, I imagine we'll have to look out for them."

"And the Sand team…" Lee added, casting a glance to where two of the three were standing to leave the room, "They have been laying low since they got here. I have not seen Gaara at all."

"People are saying that they arrived on the first day." Neji said, also casting a wary look in their direction.

"I imagine so, with someone like Gaara with them," I commented wryly. Both the boys looked back at me, and I could see the question on their faces before they asked.

"Why is he like that?" Lee asked hesitantly, lowering his voice, "He is not at all like you…"

Neji looked interested as well, and leaned forward slightly. I sighed, but answered in a resigned sort of voice.

"I don't know. I think his seal might not be as strong as mine. From what I can tell, his demon, the Shukaku, talks to him constantly, while the Kyuubi only talks to me every once in a great while. It may be influencing his mind."

Lee looked slightly disturbed at the thought of Gaara's mind being warped, while Neji picked up on another part of my speech.

"You mean to say that the Kyuubi _does_ talk to you?" He asked seriously, his mouth a thin line. Lee snapped back to attention.

I blinked, "Only sometimes. It's not a lot."

The two exchanged looks. I scowled slightly, "What? I already told you about it, didn't I?"

"You said that it spoke to you during the Rice mission," Neji countered, "not that it had been continuing to make contact with you."

I opened my mouth to object, not really understanding what their problem was.

"Naru, please, just hear us out," Lee interjected, sending Neji a warning look, "We are just worried about you. We do not want you to end up like Gaara without knowing it."

He reached over and grabbed my hand that was lying on the table. The gesture was familiar – I had lost count of how many times we had held hands as children – but completely foreign at the same time. My skin burned where his came in contact with it.

However, it had the desired effect. I calmed from my bout of unexplained anger and took a deep breath. I took a moment to see their side and realized that they were right, and there was certainly reason for them to be protective.

"You're right, I'm sorry," I amended, bowing my head slightly. "I guess the stress of the past few days just caught up to me."

There was a moment of silence before Neji spoke, "I apologize as well. I should not have been so harsh."

I looked up and grinned at the both of them, showing that all was well. Lee grinned, squeezing my hand once before releasing it. I caught myself mourning the contact.

_What was wrong with me lately?_

Neji smirked at me in a knowing way as Lee got up to grab another apple. I gave him a questioning look, but it only served to make his smirk grow wider.

"What?" I asked suspiciously.

Neji only shook his head in dismissal.

Lee bounded back to the table and took his seat next to me. I tried to ignore how his shoulder brushed mine.

"Oh, hey, Team Seven is here!" Lee exclaimed suddenly, pointing over to the cafeteria doors.

I looked up and, sure enough, two thirds of Team Seven sauntered in, looking battle worn and weary. I immediately picked up on Sakura's absence. Akio and Sasuke spotted us and made their way over, plopping down at our table with worn out groans.

"Hey, guys," Akio greeted, rubbing a hand down his face. Sasuke leaned forward onto his hands and said nothing, barely sparing a nod. I smiled in amusement.

"Well aren't you guys full of energy." I joked lightly.

Akio and Sasuke smiled slightly, rolling their eyes.

"We had a tough time finding anyone to take a scroll from. There was hardly anyone left in the forest, and none of them in our immediate area." Sasuke explained.

We nodded in understanding. Hesitantly, I brought up Sakura's absence.

"So… where's Sakura at?"

Akio and Sasuke exchanged looks. I raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

"She's… well, she won't leave our room. She hasn't spoken much at all." Akio ruffled his shaggy hair, "Dunno what's wrong; she won't tell us a thing."

I scrunched up my eyebrows, worried despite myself. Sasuke groaned from beside Neji, his head thumping down to the table.

"Why are women so confusing? Couldn't she just tell us what's wrong and get it over with? She's been unbearable…"

Neji and Lee smirked at him while I scowled, "You _do_ know that I'm a girl as well, right?"

"Yeah, but you're not all frilly and girly and stuff."

I sniffed, "I'm not sure if that is a compliment or not."

"It's not _my_ fault how you take it."

I crossed my arms and huffed, but a smile broke through my act. Lee grinned at me as Sasuke peeked through his fringe, a trace of amusement shining in his eyes.

To be the mature one, I stuck my tongue out at him, earning a slight grin.

"Hey, Naru," Akio said suddenly, turning to me, "since you did point it out, d'you think you could go talk to Sakura for us? She might open up more to you…"

I opened my mouth to say something along the lines of 'I doubt it', but halted at the look of genuine worry in his eyes. Despite Sakura being a 'frilly girl', both the boys of Team Seven _did_ seem to truly care about her.

After a moment of consideration I nodded and stood with a sigh, "I guess so…"

Akio grinned, standing up to give me a hug around the shoulders. Startled, I hugged him back. "Thanks, Naru! I knew I could count on you."

"Er… no problem?"

Akio released me and sat back down. I looked across the table at Sasuke and Neji, only to see the white-eyed boy with the same knowing smirk on his face from before, only directed to the black haired boy next to me. I transferred my gaze to Lee, confused by the put-off expression on his face.

"Lee? You alright?"

"What?" he snapped his gaze to me, "Oh, yes, fine…"

"Mmhm…" I hummed doubtfully, but let it drop. I stretched my arms out as I took a step away from the table. "What room are you guys in?"

"Room 225; it's on this floor."

"Okay, see you guys later!"

(())**~~

"223… 224… Ah! 225!"

I stopped at the door that looked just like all the others, only marked different by the numerals emblazoned on the front.

I hesitated to knock. What if she didn't want to see me? Would I just make whatever it was worse?

A low sob sounded from behind the wood and I froze.

Was she… was she _crying_?

My mind made up, I leaned forward and knocked thrice.

There was a moment of silence before: "W-what do you want? Who is-is it?"

I leaned closer to the door, biting my lip, "It's – uh, it's Naru. Akio and Sasuke sent me to check up on you…"

A second passed before the door was flung open, revealing a thoroughly disheveled and tear-soaked Haruno Sakura.

We stared at each other for a few tense milliseconds.

I shifted slightly, trying to figure out something to say or do. Sakura, however, took that choice away by flinging herself at me, a new wave of tears erupting.

I found myself with an armful of sobbing Haruno, totally at loss. "Uh, there, there? What's the matter?"

"I-I've been so-so _horrible_ to you!" she burst, trying to catch her breath around the gasps leaving her throat. It took me a minute to decipher what she had said, but was only more confused when I did.

"What? Hold on, let's go inside and calm down, then you can explain to me what's up."

She hiccupped a few times before nodding, allowing me to lead her back into the room. I heard her trying to take a few deep breaths as I closed the door behind us. I turned and took a seat on the cot next to her, wondering if I should embrace her again or simply let her be.

We were both silent for a moment as Sakura's breathing steadily evened out. However, the miserable expression did not leave her face as she looked over at me.

"I'm _so sorry_ about how I've treated you all these years." She said at last, looking thoroughly ashamed of herself, "I mean, I've always been nasty to you, and you've been nothing but nice."

I grimaced, "I wouldn't say that."

Sakura shook her head, "You've never been as mean as I have. And you-you saved Sasuke! I saw what that thing did to you and how worried everyone was – especially Neji and Lee.

"I'm just – I'm so sorry." Sakura looked about ready to burst into tears again.

"Hey, hey," I murmured soothingly, placing a hand on her shoulder, "It's okay. I forgive you, alright. No harm done."

I knew I had said the right thing when her face lit up, a tentative smile quirking her lips, "Really?"

I grinned, "Of course."

She smiled wider, then said shyly "I-I hope we can be friends? Maybe you can help me train sometime… I always feel like I'm just extra baggage on my team."

She frowned again at the thought. I hurried to reassure her, "Of course we can be friends! And I'd be glad to train with you after the exams. I know for a fact that Akio and Sasuke were really worried about you, since they sent me here to check on you."

She smiled once more, looking delighted at the thought.

A loud grumbling from her stomach informed us both of her hunger. A rosy blush appeared on her cheeks in embarrassment, but I only grinned.

"C'mon, I'll show you where the cafeteria is. My team and yours should still be there."

She followed me out of the room obediently, a small smile still on her face. We walked beside each other for a moment while I searched my mind for a conversation topic.

A mischievous grin twisted my lips as a thought came to me, "So, how are things with Sasuke? You still like him, right?"

Sakura jumped and her blush grew darker, "Oh, yes, I do… He doesn't seem to like me much…"

She looked disheartened at this, to which I jumped in encouragingly, "Hey, just keep trying, he'll come around."

"You think so?" She asked, a hopeful gleam in her eye.

"Yeah, just give him time, I think."

"O-Okay."

She looked lost in thought, so I let her be. We walked peacefully for a while before she spoke up again.

"How are things with you and Lee?"

I whipped my head around to look at her, spotting the devilish smirk in place. A blush crept up on my cheeks against my will.

"What? W-What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on," she wheedled playfully; "Don't play dumb with me. Anyone with eyes can see that you and Lee like each other!"

"W-What?" I yelled, feeling very much lost, "But I don't…"

"Oh, I see." She said, nodding knowledgably as we approached the cafeteria door, "You're still in denial, aren't you? That's fine; but you make sure to let me know when you figure it out, okay?"

And with that, she swept through the doors, heading for the table where the boys of our teams were seated. I stood frozen outside the door as it swung shut in my face.

_Me, like Lee? No, impossible. We're just friends, aren't we? Yes. Just… Just friends._

I composed myself and strode into the cafeteria and over to the table I was at only an hour ago. Sakura was chattering happily with her team, sparing a smug glance my way. I ignored it as I sat in my previous spot next to Lee. I unconsciously avoided his eyes and only looked to him once he spoke.

"Are you alright, Naru? You look a little red."

This only served to make me turn even redder. Neji and Sakura both smirked.

I groaned internally, wanting to bang my head on the table to escape their knowing gazes. "Yeah, I'm fine, Lee."

(())**~~

I stood in line with the rest of the Genin that had made it past the Forest of Death to the tower, Lee and Neji and either side of me.

It was obvious what this small arena would be used for, but I waited out the Old Man's introduction anyway.

"… However, there are much more of you then we expected, so there will be a preliminary round to cut your number in half before the final rounds in front of the whole village."

There were some groans amongst the group, particularly from the most injured and weary Genin. I frowned slightly, forcing myself not to glance over to where I knew Gaara of the Sand stood. I pitied whoever got chosen as his opponent.

I cast a quick look over to Neji and Lee, taking in their ready-and-determined expressions.

I hoped against hope that none of us were picked to be his prey for today.

(())**~~

**A.N.: So, a lot of stuff packed into one chapter, I think. I bet some of you didn't expect that little episode with Sakura, did you? Or maybe you did…**

**And I have finally planted the seed of doubt firmly into little Naru's mind about Lee. I wonder what will happen next… Oh, wait, I'm the writer! I already know! MWAHAHAHA! *cough, cough***

**Some of you will hate me for next chapter. **

**STAY YOUTHFUL! :D**


End file.
